His Destined
by Glorioux
Summary: Lucius is 26, when hears a prophecy, and a baby changes all minutes later. He'll feel alone and consumed by a forbidden obsession to own And hide her from the world. Voldemort will torture Draco & Hermione, and only a miracle can save them. Controversial dark themes, no underage situations, possible death, rape, non-graphic violence. The magic of healing love- Mature Readers.
1. A Prediction

Disclaimer: HP world belongs to JKR.

As promised another different sort of Lucius. This is an exploration into forbidden lands, and tormented characters. Lucius find his life changed after visiting a sayer the year Draco is born. A dark prophecy, a family curse, all conspire against him. Lucius was 26 when he met a baby witch, and woke a monster inside that he'd hoped never to meet. Taboos will be confronted and love might win against impossible odds. This story is all written, please only read if you are an adult reader.

This fiction is all written, around 120 typed pages. I had it for a while, and I consider it a treat for those readers who still read my work.

It is dedicated to many faithful readers, specially to my dear Savva, a belated present. To Imorena, who is always there, to Cullen's Pet who comes and visits...And to each and everyone of you.

**Prologue**

**War casualties**.

It had been three and a half years since the war ended and lives were settling, on the surface.

Hermione dressed slowly; her limbs felt as if were made of pure lead. Even dressing had turned into a chore. Today, she would clean the graves of the fallen. Was this all that was left after the fight? The living went about their daily actions, and the dead nearly forgotten, or, only remembered once in a while during the rituals humans create for their dead?

This was not the case, not for this witch, the fallen were still part of her daily life. God, her head ached from her nightly debauchery; once again she drank herself under the table and ended in who knows where, and in whose bed. She could not recall when or how she got home last night.

**Eyes**

She saw eyes, the eyes of the dead. However, the eyes that haunted her dreams, and would not allow her to live a normal life, were the ones of one Severus Snape. He had held on to her hand as he passed away, and she did what she could; but, nobody wanted to loan her a hand.

Many had still viewed him as a traitor. It was not until much later when the truth about him was known and by then, it was too late. Enough ruminating, she needed to get ready and be on her way to clean up the area for the visitors; those who were sure to visit during this long weekend; many would be only tourists who paid the mandatory respects, while they had a family holiday in the neighboring towns.

And then there was the other thing, the one that she didn't allow into her mind when she was alone.

She wished for the 1000th time to be dead...if only she could close her eyes and leave the pain behind; she wanted to curl up and go back into the amniotic fluid of her mother's womb. She wished for forgetfulness and to feel safe once again.

**Chapter 1 Lucius**

**The Prediction - 1980**

He met her, or better saw her, the year Draco was born, and she looked quiet different back then. Whenever he thought about it, he smiled ruefully.

He knew he was having a son, but it would be months. The name had been chosen, and he wanted to be ready for him.

He had travelled to Russia and was staying at a secret compound by the Baltic Sea. Severus had come along and accompanied him to meet Antonin Dolohov, his second cousin from his mother's family side, who would take him to get Draco's life map. The birthdate was already known, and now they needed to fix the hour. Healer Muctis had already said, that it had to be a special birth because Narcissa's hips were too narrow, which was the reason they had lost the last three babies.

Draco was to be born on June 10, 1980. The life map would help them determine the most auspicious hour for the expected event. The Malfoy's heir map was to be plotted by a very old witch, 180 years old. Mme V. was rumored to have been Rasputin's mother, and the father to have been a member of the royal family, a great dangerous wizard. That day, the three young wizards travelled early and went to Helsinki, to find the much sought after divining-witch.

They came into the small shop located in a small street within the confines of an expensive area. The place advertised tea, coffee, and homemade pastries, but other passerby seemed unaware of the magical establishment. The inside was overly warm and only had a few tables, the decor was plush in brocade and velvets, and the air smelled of fragrant woods being burnt in the old heating oven.

Their table was in a corner and behind an ornate partition. They all sat around a very old woman dressed in a dark robe with fur trimmings. Lucius sat stiffly, wrinkled his nose in snobbish disdain, refused to take his gloves, and declined any refreshments.

Mme V. took an immediate dislike to him, the arrogant and beautiful wizard. He was the epitome of so many of the young men, now gone, who had been just like him; those young princes and hussars who danced, loved, and fought in wild abandonment. That cinched it for the witch; pride and beauty had to be punished; after all, their recklessness had destroyed nations, specifically, her beloved motherland.

She spoke to him and the others listened; they thought she might be singing.

_"You have two roads in front of you. I pity you, such a cold life. You will let the snake eat just about everything you would have cared for. It will maim and kill bodies and break the spirits of those close to your heart, the ones you have loved best_."

She looked at Snape with compassion on her eyes; Snape felt a chill run down his back.

She resumed, half-singing, in a clear and strong voice, one of a much younger witch.

"_And, only the lioness and the small wolf can conjure the peace, and draw the giant snake's poison away. This is the oracle, and you mustn't forget it. First, the joining of a snake and a lioness, not just a lioness but the princess of the pride, and their unlike union, will invoke sex magic to wake up the earth. The wolf will steal from the ground keepers what is needed. And make sure that for once in your life, you are paying attention."_

She stopped and looked at each one of them.

_"If you follow the second road, your line will end forever, a barren life, just as you're dry and shrunken, as your sorry hardened heart. Ah, if you have the courage and choose the first road, don't forget to claim what has been lost, and forgotten to be claimed. Your desire is out there, just need to ask for. Things will not be as they appear, never lose hope_."

To the tall, arrogant Lord's distaste,she refused to plot his son's life. The very old witch looked at him with utter contempt. Lucius was seething, _How could she have dared_? were his thoughts.

"No sense, nothing good will come out of it. You will damage his life so much, that the time to plot it will serve no purpose. It will all be your fault. You make me ill. Frankly, people like you, those born with the world held inside their little hands, often forget they are here to service the others. The Creator gifts them so they can be his hands in this wretched realm. Regrettably, they throw their duties into the oblivion by wasting their lives away in the pursuits of unimportant possessions and worldly power."

She stared at him and pointed her bony finger directly at his chest.

"I have seen it before, and because the young men, those just like you, were too busy with their own affairs, the wolves marched in, and now the lands are soaked in the red blood of millions of innocents who trusted them for protection. You won't be any different, you will feed your young to the hungry snake. You make my mouth bitter with bile."

She took a long sip from a dainty porcelain tea cup, just poured out from a very old samovar, as if to rinse her mouth from a foul taste. Her movements were bird like, rapacious, worthy of an old bird of prey, and her beady eyes shone with malice whilst she irradiated confidence and vitality.

"You are a waste of breathing space unless you take the first road. Be willing to dirty your hands and feet, and, yes, even your cock; and maybe, just maybe, you will then be redeemed. I pity you, what you will deem as dirty, you aren't worthy to even touch. The reason is simple, you will destroy it! Damn you and your kind, you all thought,and still think, that it is within your rights to destroy so many special lives...just because you think you are so much better."

Upon delivering her insults, she laughed a nasty, chilling cackle. Lucius was beyond angry; and albeit of his heart's new found icy feeling, and his seething fury, his mind was telling him that this witch was not a fraud, and this realization scared him deeply. He wanted to ask if he could escape her bleak predictions, but his pride and disdain for those who he deemed his inferiors, kept his lips closed. It was time to leave this place.

* * *

A/N.** Poor beautiful Lucius, oh, oh! Who is ready to join this ride along our favorite Dark one, please show of hands. Remember, I warned you, and to be sure, things are never as bad as they seem. Not in my stories...**


	2. Meeting Destiny

JKR owns it.

And here we continue. This story is around 100+ typed pages. Readers, please have patience. And do forgive my typos, I write without a beta, at least most of my work. For now is the best thing. Otherwise enjoy this bumpy ride. Warning: This fic has some rather creepy parts, oops sorry. I had to. I also need to do real work for the next days, and this bounty of extra work won't last. Thanks for the warm welcome to my work.

**xox**

**Meeting Destiny**

The frigid air felt invigorating after the stuffy overheated air inside. Upon their exit from the small shop, a small group approached them from the opposite direction. The street was empty but for the two groups, consequently, the imposing young wizards fixed their eyes upon the strangers, a young mother with her older husband, an infant in a perambulator, and an older couple whose gestures and familiarity clearly tagged them as the grandparents.

At that precise moment, the young mother bent down and caught the three young men's eyes. Out the perambulator, she picked up an infant with a head full of dark blond curls and huge light-brown eyes, alert and bright, a strange color of cacao and milk with specks of green and gold; the baby had pouty lips and a permanent gummy smile, a happy, beautiful baby. She quickly raised the lilac furry hood that had fallen off, and the grandmother refastened the string around the bay's chin.

Lucius was strangely drawn to the baby, a fact perceived by the old witch, who now stood still by the door with her eyes fixed on him. At once, she yelled to Antonin in Russian, and he, in turn, answered something in response.

Antonin spoke to him softly, almost a whisper, "Lucius, she said for you to remember this day. Specifically, on the day when you visit your dead friend's grave; at which time you must remember today's prophecy; you'll need to repeat it aloud by his grave. It is a plea to the ones who can hear your sorrow; she also said it will be your last chance."

Antonin looked scared, guarded, as if he had not yet said all he needed to convey the entire message. Lucius looked at him and made a gesture indicating to go on.

"She says that it is good idea for you to take a good look at the baby and to ask for the name. You should consider the encounter about to happen as one the most important events of your sorry life; and for once, you will need to different from others who have failed, not only to recognize a crucial event but cannot even understand its significance afterwards. And she also said that you must take off the blinders of your perception; they make you a blind horse." Antonin Dolohov cringed.

Lucius looked at Antonin as if his brains had turned into mush.

The old sage screamed again, and whatever she told him, Antonin did not translate, the words which had obviously had affected him. Afterwards, he was withdrawn and stayed mostly quiet for the rest of that day. Before they finally started to walk away from the area, he ran back to the shop.

He was covered with cold sweat when he caught up with his friends, "There is just one hope, if it doesn't come to pass, then all is lost for me and my family. I hope she is wrong. She told me that I will kill this child and will not recognize her. How can that be? I must have her name and remember."

Antonin was visibly upset, and his usually healthy complexion had lost all its color.

The wind was blowing and the day was cold; it was always cold in Helsinki, or that was Lucius assessment. The Arctic winds freely ran along the streets, easily penetrating through their heavy winter coats lined with expensive furs; and, seemingly, reached their icy tentacles straight into their bones. Nevertheless, the tall and dashing three young wizards stood in the middle of the sidewalk arguing, unknowingly presenting an unforgettable picture. All dressed in dark, expensive overcoats, tall, young, handsome, unusually colored, long flowing multi-hued hairs, and overall, very strange looking.

Severus wore a heavy cashmere coat trimmed with fur that Lucius had gifted him, his dark locks flowing free below his shoulder; Antonin and Lucius had their very long hair gathered at the base of their necks; and both wore similar long dark coats lined with fur, Russian fur hats, and knee-length Hessians.

They were, undoubtedly, not a common passerby, and disliked the attention they knew to generate; thus, they would have rather preferred to leave via Apparation or Floo, but the nearest point was several streets away.

Lucius was furious; he had not liked the predictions of doom and gloom. "Antonin ignore the old hag. It is all poppycock, what a waste of time." He stood stiffly, challenging Antonin's fears and just wanting to get the hell away from the place.

The old witch turned around before going inside to yell a few additional words, and left with a cackle worth of any Shakespearian play. It went straight through their bones, like the wind, making them all shiver. They all saw as a patch of darkness filtering the bright sunshine of the cloudless day, and felt a shot of something cold run along their veins.

Afterwards, Lucius raised an eyebrow and questioned Antonin to keep going, "She said, remember the cuckoo birds, think of your grandchild growing in the wrong nest and pity the ones who will mourn for what has been stolen, not dead." Antonin shrugged his shoulders, "Probably a joke and a strange one at that."

**A Step unto the Road of Obsession-**

Both Antonin and Severus approached the couple now viewing portraits displayed behind a shop's window, and tried to engage them in conversation without much luck.

Lucius did not want to speak to the Muggles because he considered them beneath him. He used to have Muggle friends, and the Dark Lord had made him kill their mother during his initiation. After that, he had justified his actions by saying Muggles were less than magical beings, and it was best to stay away from them.

However, the little child called to him just as a light beacon calls a ship lost in a rough sea. He noticed her young eyes fixed on him; and then he became aware of how she gurgled, cooed, and smiled, but only to him, Lucius; and his steps soon followed his friends'.

There was something about her, he was not sure what, and he wanted to ask if he could hold the child for a few seconds. He wasn't mad, or he hoped he wasn't; he didn't ask because a sudden fear overwhelmed him; he was afraid that he wouldn't let go.

_Did the old biddy do something to me? _He asked himself. His eyebrow went up as his head turned around to peer in the shop's direction, but she wasn't there, not where he could see her.

Meanwhile Severus and Antonin, attempted to speak to the couple in Russian, then in Swedish, since both spoke several languages. They also tried several Nordic languages, until the prim young woman dressed in very proper attire, with her hair up in a chignon too old for her young face, ventured, " Gentlemen, please excuse us, we are visitors from England, we only speak English, French, and a little Polish," at this, they all laughed with great glee, yes, even Lucius.

Surely enough, after a few words of asking who was doing what in Helsinki, they were chatting as old friends. The wind was blowing colder, if that was all together possible, and even wrapped in the heavy furs, and armed with warming charms, it was cold. Strangely, the baby's rosy cheeks were the only sign of the weather, as she continued trying to attract Lucius' attention; he no longer felt any physical discomfort. Her small eyes were glued to the exotic looking young man and his on the young lady.

The baby's mother, who was obviously a private school graduate, judging by her manners and her polished accent, told them, "My mother's cousin has just passed. He was mother's only relative. All their family was killed during the second war while detained in the camps; they were the only survivors from all their families who used to live near Vichy, France. The two escaped because they were sent to England before it all went wrong. He left a rather large legacy, and it is complex. We have been here for three weeks, - Oh, please excuse me, I am sure you don't want to hear our entire tale."

She halted her narration, and her cheeks redden with a lovely blush. Lucius had noticed her husband's gentle head shake; he had advised her against her innocent disclosures.

Severus immediately retorted, he seemed totally charmed by the Muggle woman, not really a woman, maybe seventeen but not older than twenty, surely less, "Please do continue, we are interested, what a fascinating tale; and you are all here away from your country, probably very difficult with the baby." Lucius eyebrows went up, what was Severus saying?

Both Antonin and Severus pay no heed to their friend, and continued talking to the couple while Lucius fumed and sulked. He was twenty-six at the time and, whereby he found the conversation immensely boring, he didn't try to hurry it along

He didn't, because his attention was elsewhere; tightly held by the child, who had succeeded in fully capturing it. Lucius had decided that she was quite adorable; she truly was a little princess.

His boredom quickly dissipated as he closely observed the little baby doll. Her loveliness was something he would often remember, for the rest of his life. Maybe she was supposed to be Draco's wife? The young eyes fixed upon his face were uncanny, and they touched a part of him which had been unknown him; furthermore, he hadn't been aware it could have existed. His mind began ruminating.

_No, these people were Muggles, therefore the baby could certainly not be destined for a Malfoy, not for Draconis Abraxas __—__ and, yet__—__there was something about the little angel, perhaps was the head of golden brown curls that made her so lovely; or what was it her gummy smile; or could it be the way her eyes would focused on him, or maybe all the cooing, or was it her tinny hand, encased in heavy furry lilac mittens, reaching for him_?

His soul seemed to naturally gravitate towards hers; moreover, his left fingers moved on their own accord and, without his approval, proceeded to remove the glove from his right hand in order to free the tip of his index finger, and thereby allowing him to gently caress the very soft hair and face. Her soft skin filled him up with tender emotions; it was the skin of a little angel, so perfect, so delicate.

The baby's eyes followed his finger, and the tiny hand stealthily grabbed it as he pulled it away. Surprisingly and with great strength, she brought it towards her, not into her mouth, and, instead, just held it fiercely over her cheek while she cooed, gave him a gummy smile, and blew bubbles of spit with joy; and Lucius serious face broke in an unusual luminous smile.

What he felt, he never told anyone, but the three wizards all saw the same, a ring of tiny diamond sparkles around the hand holding the finger, as if it was bonding the hand and the finger together, most unusual. The Muggles didn't react; no doubt it was a magical manifestation, even thought the mother jumped back a little as if she had sensed it, a fact duly noticed by Severus.

What Lucius had felt, was a terrible hunger which made him tremble, a consuming desire to own her and to never let her away from his sight. She was his future and his only hope, of that, he was certain. He was caught in a shimmering web made by this tiny witch, and he couldn't stop marveling at her soft skin, the warm little hand, and her knowing expression.

He couldn't stop smiling at her antics and was truly delighted. He was enthralled, and that much was obvious to his friends, and they worried not understanding this Lucius, they had never seen him this tender, this possessive, and, moreover, smiling this much. It was plain eerie; the prelude to something foreboding; and it appeared inauspicious in its very nature.

Antonin and Severus both raised their eyebrows in wonderment. Indeed, they both had seen the magic ring; but they would never allude to Lucius' actions during that fateful day; neither had they ever made any comments about his smile, a bright and happy gesture while she held on to his finger; a smile not matched for years to come. However, it was his very joy and the depth of his emotions, which they had both sensed and concerned them the most.

He finally pulled his finger away; he had to, after the father assessed him with a stern look. The father had seen a hungry wolf, an enemy whose intentions could tear his heart. Lucius gave the impression of hungering for the child, like he was readying to run away with her. The father was right, because those were Lucius' exact intentions.

The wife, however, had found the incident charming, and was pleased that such handsome and elegant gentleman was so taken with her babe, "Do you want to hold her?" She inquired hopefully and with the pride of a new mother whose offspring caught the attention and favor of a powerful mentor.

The husband intervened, "Darling, would you please not bother the young gentleman, surely he doesn't want to ruin his coat when she spits up. Have you forgotten that she is afraid of heights?" They all laughed because Lucius towered over all of them, at least by a few inches.

Severus swiftly intervened, "His wife is expecting their first child; and he is baby crazy; she is due in a few months."

Lucius as in a trance nodded his head in agreement, the fates were smiling upon him; however, the husband was very unhappy, "I find it highly irregular, but who is to argue with my lovely wife," and he smiled indulgently to his wife and brought her gloved hand to his lips for an air kiss. In turn Severus glared at him with a possessive dark mien.

The woman, Mrs. Granger, she extended her hand, "Mrs. Granger, nice to meet you," and after a quick introduction for now only last names, she passed the baby to Lucius.

The world stopped for Lucius, his heart filled with something he didn't recognize; perhaps it was possessiveness and something else, which made him happy and appealed and soothed a beast lurking in the inside, one whose presence had, just, been awoken.

_Little one, you are so warm__; and the energy and power coming from you, is unbelievable. You are a tiny treasure. _Lucius thought.

He knew right away that she was a magical child. Severus later showed him the memory in a pensive. The Muggles must have missed his face reflecting the child's magical glow, and maybe that was why the wizards had failed to see, the obvious warning signs.

It was at that moment when he quickly decided; he would take the child with him; he would take her to one of two places and would wait for her to grow up.

He quickly assessed the scenario; the father was tall and seemingly strong, and that could be a problem, because they would have to use their physical force. They were the only people in the deserted street, so he decided the next move.

Suddenly the father's instincts kicked in, he sensed impending danger emanating from the odd colored hair man who reminded him of elven stories read while growing up. He addressed his wife with masked urgency, "Please take her back; it is enough. It is rude to impose on him."

Severus and Antonin looked at Lucius begging, they could see his intentions, and the tension was palpable. His body language said it all, slightly turned away from everyone, a Dark warrior in an aggressive stance, with the baby securely stashed inside his arms protection, almost covered and hidden with his coat's fur; he was a dangerous predator protecting his young. Magic crackled about him creating a wind tunnel in the narrow street. Meanwhile, the baby made happy noises, snuggled, and safe in his warm hold.

When Mrs. Granger extended her arms, she seemed very nervous. She looked at the tall stranger; his odd steeled colored eyes were cold and dangerous; and his hands visibly shook when he finally gave her the baby back. Well,_ give her back_ was a far cry from the real event, Mrs. Granger had to physically pry the baby away from his rigid fingers.

No sooner the baby had been taken away, that his hand went straight into his pocket. As the Dark Wizard took over his persona, his two friends were shaken at what they saw, the murderous gleam, and the ready to take-what-is-mine stance. They seemed to be standing at the edge of a chasm reading to swallow them all.

His arms felt empty, and, regardless of what should have been logic and rational behavior, his brain wouldn't relent and continued the continuous stream of demented thoughts.

A loud inner voice was telling him, _Grab the child, Apparate away, and raise her as your own; don't under any circumstances, let her go! _However, his common sense and preservation instinct told him to turn around and run far from her, away from this temptation; and in no uncertain tone, the voice of reason spoke,_ Listen to me, that is what you must do, Lucius you aren't well_.

Should and would, could be complimentary actions, but not in this case. Henceforth, a decision was made, he looked at his two friends defiantly, and his eyes clearly told them, _Help me or else_.

He felt a supernatural force driving him, and he was a little scared. He just knew that she should be his, or his life would forever be shrouded in darkness, and he would ruin everyone's life; he comprehended that was the first road he must take, and he knew it as his name was Lucius Malfoy.

He understood, without a doubt, that she was meant for him. Thus, he wanted to kill the strangers who presumed she was theirs, and, thereon, he would need to run away with his prize and be happy for the rest of lives.

Narcissa and his heir, Draco, meant nothing to him; he was surprised to find that out when he had tried to conjure his pregnant wife, as he desperately sought an anchor to keep him tethered to sanity. It didn't work, because he felt nothing for them. At that moment, he saw his life in front of him, always wanting and missing her, and he wondered if, maybe, that was madness.

For a few minutes, he made quick plans in his mind. He would take her to the Castle in the Loire, not even Cissa knew about it; it was the Malfoy's men secret insurance. Or, perhaps go to the Malfoy Island, and only the older sons knew about this one.

Yes, that was a plan, he could stay and raise her until she was of age, or leave her with his Tante Blanche until such time, and visit at each possible chance; or, he could run his business from there, or let the competent administrators do so.

xox

a/N Dear readers, LOL, but really, it is a good place to stop. Keep the interest up and the blood flow. I do adore an unhinged Lucius, don't you? Is this story different enough? I hope so. Thanks to each and everyone one of the readers, for those who read and commented on Dark Angel, I will be sending you a link to the PDF with the entire fiction. Till the next time. PS No, Lucius is not a pervert, and neither will he be one. He is a strange wizard from a strange family.


	3. A Life Alone

JKR owns it.

Lucius is not a Veela, all in a good time. The monster he refers to, is his own assesment of his behavior. All I can say is, wait.

Thanks to all the lovely readers who took their time and read, and a special big thanks to those who leave their thoughts. You make my day. Here we go again, poor, poor Lucius.

**A Life Alone**-

He felt a supernatural force driving him, and he was a little scared. He just knew that she should be his, or his life would forever be shrouded in darkness, or he would ruin everyone's life; he knew as his name was Lucius Malfoy that she was meant for him. He wanted to kill the strangers who thought she was theirs and thereon he would need to run away with his prize and be happy for the rest of their lives.

Narcissa and his heir, Draco, meant nothing to him; he was surprised to find that out when he tried to conjure his pregnant wife as he sought tranquility. It didn't work, he felt nothing for them. At that moment, he saw his life in front of him, always wanting and missing her; but maybe this was madness.

For a few minutes, he made quick plans in his mind. He would take her to the Castle in the Loire, not even Cissa knew about it; it was the Malfoy's men secret insurance, or the Malfoy Island, only the older sons knew this one. He could stay and raise her until she was of age, or leave her with his Tante Blanche.

He could run his business from there, or let the competent administrators do so.

His great-grandfather Serpens understood about Malfoy men and inexplicable unions, and he would help him. He was sure of that. When Serpens was eighteen and soon to be engaged. He went to Sweden with his parents. They were going to visit old friends with hope to get a marriage contract with their eldest daughter, who was seventeen at the time.

Upon their return home, they were five. They had brought the nearly three-year old daughter with the nurse, to raise her as their own, or until the parents could make arrangements. A union with the Malfoys was the stuff of dreams. In less than a year, the parents came to live in the Dowager's home, but Thalia and the nurse remained with the Malfoy family at the Manor.

When Thalia was seventeen, they married and had been married for the last seventy-eight years; but there were other stories just like his, but not all the unions were like that, and the ones that weren't, never had been happy.

He wondered how to make this happen, his heart was racing, and his throat was very dry. Nothing else would ever satisfy him; pureblood or not, there had also been Muggle born, not in his direct line, but in the Malfoy families. Narcissa and Draco were no longer part of his thoughts, they had become strangers and felt distant.

He could annul the marriage and pay a large settlement to Narcissa; however, another idea crossed his mind, perhaps Muggles signed marriage contracts, maybe that was the way. They might be rich, but he could pay the couple several millions in gold and some family jewels. They appeared to be wealthy, but he doubted their vaults approximated one of his. He could now see sparkling circles all around her, and become even clearer; yes indeed, she was a Magic being. What if the Muggles had stolen a Pureblood child?

Suddenly, he was afraid, he had discovered an ugly monster inside of him, one who craved a small child, one that knew and understood that his life would be barren without her until he had her next to him.

It was disgusting. He was going crazy and wanted to be far, far away from this place, from this horrible temptation. He had changed into a child's lover; one that should be killed so children would be safe. He had always read the family's history with bile rising up his throat, to descend from such degenerate sick wizards was shameful and loathsome, and that very knowledge was the very reason why he had vowed to live his nearly puritan life.

Trying to distract himself, he looked around. And the other event was just as amazing, Severus' shinning eyes. Hmm, this longing and falling for a stranger after the depression over the Evans chit? He sighed loudly.

What was with his young friend always going for the married women? Muggle or witches, no matter which, it was his way. Concentrating on Severus helped him to anchor his soul; a soul that he was about to lose in a maelstrom of strange urges and emotions. He needed to secure and affix himself before the torment's winds swallowed him, and he was forever lost. He observed the husband, at least one decade or two older than his child bride, and whose mien was somber and upset, with all the attention his wife was getting.

Lucius recognized the Muggle's possessive eyes and noticed the suit's expensive cut, and the large signet ring. He was a, hmm, a Blue-blood, at least a step-above a common Muggle. It was obvious; the man wanted his young wife away from all the younger males circling her as if they were a pack of wolves.

Lucius smirked with bitterness, had the man known, the most dangerous wolf, wasn't the one who wanted his bride but the one who wanted his heir. Correction, wanting was not the correct appellative for what he felt, it didn't even begin to describe his dark emotions. He craved to be around the child, never to let he out of his sight, to wait for the day when she could become his bride. Power, more riches, and other worldly goods had lost their appeal, what were they if you were denied true happiness?

And if Lucius was correct, Severus was displaying the signs of an aroused male, he discretely lowered his eyes. Snape was wearing a leather overcoat, with muggle blue indigo pants, and a jumper, and yes, Lucius was right, amazing; lust at first sight. He had never seen Severus behave in such manner; he was devouring the young mother with his eyes.

She was pretty bird but a Muggle nevertheless, and by her looks, not magical whatsoever.

** The Monster Lurking Inside**-

Well, one thing was for sure, the young woman had soft curves, nice tits, and what a bum. Hmm, she was what Narcissa was not, luscious, curvy, petite, and a Muggle. Tut, tut, Severus had the eye, she was delicious, And, the sudden revelation struck him; the inner monster was taking him down that road because he was clever and had it all figured out.

He understood that the baby would grow to look just like her mother, and his cock joined Severus' at the vision of a Muggle young woman with a hiss that would had escaped his lips had he not bitten his cheek. His mind was assaulted by the vision.

_She was under him and looked just like her mom. She was naked on his arms; he could see her curly long hair, shapely bum, soft curves to match his hard planes, he was deep inside of her warmth while she screamed his name,' Lucius, my love, oh yes, harder—I love you.' Oh, Merlin, she was so warm, so sleek, so tight, wrapped around his hard cock; her muscles grasped him in a pulsing vise, and it hurt so good. He cried from the intense pleasure. Oh sweet mercies, his bollocks slapped against her, and everything was perfect, ' I love you Lucius.' Oh, Eros, dear spirits of the wind and fire, more, give me more dear love; spirits or the sun and the moon hear my plead. His lips closed around her aroused nipple.._.

He was back from his inner self, and his heart contracted, he was doomed.

"Ah the baby is so adorable, what a nice..?" Lucius could hear Antonin far away, "A girl, it is a she, right?" Antonin was masterful in obtaining names and answers.

Lucius listened; he loved the cadence of the mother's voice, and it soothed him. Her voice was rich, a little husky, and full of warmth, where Narcissa was cold and flat; he was drinking her voice, a soft cadence, educated, and sensual. The husband was now certain the young silver hair gentleman lusted after his wife and wanted what was rightfully his. His heart was afraid for the ones he loved. He could see Lucius smile at hearing her voice, his eyes shone, he was enthralled. How could he compete with a man like him? He was a mere mortal to his otherworldly beauty.

"Yes, a girl, her name is Hermione Jean Granger. I named her after a favorite play of mine. She is smart beyond her young age, rather amazing. You must have seen her with your friend. See, how she is still fixed on him, this is the first time with a stranger, and she is only a few months old, can you believe it? And look at her little hands still trying to reach him." She turned to look at her husband, whose eyes told her not to encourage the odd-colored hair stranger. She ignored him, enjoying the attention.

"As I was saying, I cannot wait to be back at home. It has been difficult finding the right nappies and formula, and her nurse did not want to fly—. "

Alas, she was rudely cut off by her husband, "Jean, darling, I am sure they don't want to hear all about nappies," he spoke in an educated drawl, a stuffy, upper class, English voice. Idiot, he was interested, don't make her stop talking, or he would make him shut up, forever. His hand tightened around his wand once again but let it go. He wanted to hear more of the voice and imagined the voice came from his Hermione Jean Granger.

"If you would all excuse us, but we must take our leave. The baby needs to be fed, and my wife is probably tired as well. The baby is still young, not yet five months, and was born two months early. Besides the cold is quite bitter, and I find it rather unsuitable for the young babe and my wife. We hope you have a nice day." He bowed head curtly. The fool was dismissing them. Lucius' hand went for his wand, he wasn't thinking clearly.

Antonin was horrified and was telling him no by shaking his head, for all to see. Lucius had made a second plan, the mother for Severus; they take her and the babe, and kill the fool. The older couple was occupied looking at a statue and were coming back; damn too many of them, he should have reacted sooner; he had assessed her father to be quite fit and, and they would have to fight, and maybe attract other's attention.

Severus was fuming but not as much as Lucius. Antonin had said his goodbyes, he explained that the Dark Mark had issued a call, and the pain was unbearable.

Nobody realized that Voldemort would not call just for Antonin, because he was running back to the shop, to further interrogate the witch. He had witnessed the exchange between Lucius and the child, and the desire to take the child with him. It had more than scared him; it had terrified him.

He also wanted to put distance between them, Lucius was the most powerful of them all, his magic was the darkest and most dangerous, and he was acting very peculiar. The only one more powerful than him was the Dark Lord, and of that Antonin wasn't very sure. Maybe Lucius wasn't as ruthless and hungry as Voldemort. And Lucius also a kind streak and loyalty that Voldemort lacked.

Lady Granger had dropped her glove, and Severus ran towards them, but she was already coming to find it, Lucius saw them talking for a minute. Lucius felt desolate, as if his life had come to an end, and he had stepped into a permanent shadowy world.

Severus kept going for hours, "What a pompous arse that man err the husband, was. He is way too old for her, don't you think? Blah, blah and blah." Lucius only smiled while he was hurting inside. That night he tossed and turned at Antonin's palace; he wanted to find the child and disappear. As things went, he should have done it. He teased Severus about that day's event for years after. Especially during the years when he was so upset over the Dark Lord's betrayal. He had promised him the Evans Mudblood, and instead he had killed her.

If there was a way to erase the baby's vision from his mind he was unable able to find it, and she took residence inside his heart and mind and never left him. Lucius made a mental note of the name, and wrote it in a scroll as soon as he was alone. It was a waste of time and scroll, he never forgot her name.

Back at home, using a pensive, wrote the quote the witch had made and the name; he stored it in the vault, where important family documents were kept chronologically, along with the vial. He also pulled the memory of the baby, and after Draco was born, he promised not to touch it again, but he wasn't truthful...

**A dose of forgetfulness and the re-awakening**-

During the first months, after his return, he would look at the pensive for days at a time, and the monster would get stronger. He had to stop for everyone's sake. Narcissa was upset; he had avoided her for weeks, it was until months after Draco was born, that he finally snapped out if; even if he couldn't forget the other child. He had considered investigative services; he knew Muggles had private eyes such as Sherlock Holmes or Hercules Poirot, and he had read all the books; but he desisted, he didn't want into the Muggle world.

After several months, he forced himself to forget, it was the same day when he finally locked the vial. He casted a partial erasing of the name, but not permanently, he did not want to forget, he only wanted to ease his pain. The name hid in his back memory, forgotten for many years, for nearly 12 years to be exact, until a day of a terrible anger. A day when he had wanted to murder his best friend.

That day, at the end of the summer of 1992, when young Draco had left for his second year at Hogwarts. Severus had come to the Manor, all flushed and maybe smiling," Lucius, I saw her, she is still divine."

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A/N. Hope you are all enjoying it.


	4. No Escape

**JKR is HP's owner.**

**No Escape**

One day, it was the end of the summer of 1992, Severus had come all flushed and maybe smiling," Lucius, I saw her, and she is still divine."

"Who and where, slow down." Lucius smirked. He could have sworn that Severus sounded like Draco after too many chocolate bonbons.

"Remember Helsinki, the beautiful Muggle with the baby." He looked at Lucius wondering, Lucius eyes showed definite interest. And the word Helsinki triggered something elusive.

"That day, I wrote the name down, the hotel name that is; I had already heard the name of the Hotel muttered by the older couple and upon asking she gave me the address when I brought her the glove. I called the next day while you went out with Antonin, it was a short visit, and her husband was not thrilled. He asked me to leave because they were going out. That was his excuse after he came into the room, apparently the baby hollering at the top of her lungs had called his attention."

Severus eyes were shinning remembering, and the words reached into Lucius' memories, and as it had been commanded at the baby's mention, they unlocked the cell where they had stayed trapped.

"Go figure, when the baby saw me, she peered around as if she was hoping for someone else to come along, and soon started hollering as if there wasn't a tomorrow. Jean laughed in such sweet way. And she told me, 'She has been doing this a lot since yesterday, peering at everyone; she looks around the dining room and then cries when her eyes cannot find what she seeks, I think it is a case of love at first sight. You see how smart she is, she remembers you were with him, with your strange, handsome friend. She wants to be outside, and once there, she looks around and cries.' She laughed, I have never forgotten her laughter." Severus concluded while smiling.

Lucius could not believe what he just heard, this didn't sound like Snape, those Muggle women were poison, and they were an addiction. And it was when he remembered it all; damn Severus, the memory came back as a heavy gust of wind and hit him painfully in the middle of his gut. Merlin, he still wished he had followed with his crazy plan.

It was at the moment when he heard that the baby had looked around the room trying to find him, when he became irate with Severus; how could have he dared to withold the information from him? A tear of anger, ones absent since he was a young lad, spilled out his eyes. He wanted to strangle his best friend, and the knife of betrayal made his heart ache.

His breathing became labored, the arse, he had found information and withheld it from him for all these years. He managed to remain civil nevertheless, and discretely dried the tear with shaking hands.

"Ok, first let me tell you, I met the daughter, Hermione Jean Granger, she is a little witch, a know-it-all Gryffindor. And do you remember how curly haired she was, she still is. She is an adorable little witch, the teeth a little too large, but she is just too small. She was in first year and fought with Draco all day long."

Severus had seen her for an entire year, Granger, and that was why the name sounded familiar; Draco had mentioned all the time.

Severus stopped to look at Lucius, was he sick? He was quite pale. He failed to notice Lucius' trembling hands. Was Hermione the Mudblood Draco kept referring to? He wanted to wring Draco's neck, how could he dare to call her nasty names.

As Lucius remembered the name, he truly wanted to kill Snape. He had known about her and had waited nearly a year to let him know. And now, it was too late to go by Hogwarts and attempt to see her, to take her away. All his repressed desires to own her had come back in great force. Merlin, he was sick. He noticed Severus, he was quiet. Ah, he had stopped talking and looked at him, waiting for him to continue with the conversation. He tried to focus, but the intense desire to hurt Severus wouldn't diminish.

Snape looked at his friend and swiftly dismissed his odd behavior by attributing it to the tension everyone felt, at the Dark Lord's heralds of his return.

"Last week Albus asked, and I decided to volunteer and supervise the children's train back for the summer hols. What luck, guess who was out waiting for the little witch; it was Jean, ehem, Lady Granger. She is still so young and just as beautiful, and did you know she is a Muggle teeth-healer."

Lucius wrapped his hand firmly around the firewhisky glass to avoid pulling his wand. His desire to hurt Snape was making his blood roar, which made hearing difficult. Regardless, his friend was still talking, unaware of the pain, he was inflicting upon his best friend.

"I think she is not even thirty, and that husband of hers; hmm, he is one uptight arse. He is way too old for her and looks it. He was stiff as a board, and predictably he pretended not to know whom I was; ha, she did and waved her hand and smiled 'Mr. Snape so nice to see you,' hmm." He made a funny little sound when he sighed.

Lucius was sure that Severus hadn't even breathed, once. While observing Severus, he did noticed one thing, Severus' teeth. He finally had availed himself to a teeth healer, and he could see something clear around them, but that could be the light. He nearly smiled at the sight, it was wonderful, and by the bright light, his hair was shining and flowing and so clean; yes, he was actually handsome.

It didn't occur that Severus might have been hiding things from him. He had failed to make a connection, between his nicer smile and something that matter to him, one that would find out in later years. If he had found out that day, Severus might not have been safe.

Otherwise, he was uncomfortable; the monster inside him, wanted to go, find the young witch, and take her to the Castle in the Loire. His legs were fidgeting, and his body was tight.

"I don't think that I have ever heard so many words out of you all at once. So Granger is the name, I think you might be right. Are you going for her? Dummy-dour should have her address; so make use of your information, I could help." Lucius broke the silence.

Yes, Lucius thought, and then give it to me. And loud, he continued, "Muggles are different, they do remarry and such. I will help you. Maybe you should invite her for an outing; I will make it possible for you, my good friend." He tried to sound amused, but he wasn't.

"Don't be ridiculous I don't really care about her, I just thought you would like to hear about it. Just something unusual, and err, well, the past and such. "And once again, the Potions Master had clamped down. He didn't hear the lady mentioned again, not from Snape, not for a while. The moment Severus left, Lucius pulled a bottle of fine Armagnac and drank all night, but, first, he pulled out the pensive and old vial, and he sobbed in anguish. For Merlin's sake, the little witch went to school with Draco. Draco had been with her the entire year and had bullied her and made her cry. The wrenching pain wouldn't leave him.

The need had nearly killed him for weeks after that. What if she found a lad suitable for her during the years until she was of age, then what? He would, certainly, lose her.

She had to be his, not sexually, not now. He was a Malfoy, and it wasn't done like that. He just had to be sure that she would be only his. He didn't even care if she had shagged others, or would shag others, he wanted her, and from the moment on, she was his only one, his reason for being.

**A Short Malfoy History**

He had even Owl his old Tante Blanche to explain he was bringing a "young lady" to educate, she would have to be hidden.

His great-aunt had been rather upset, but she knew the Malfoy Wizards could not be dissuaded. Attempts to stop them were wasted, once they had found the one meant for them. It was an unlucky day when they found HER. She didn't bring up Narcissa or Draco what for, it would change nothing. There was a long and bloody history of violent events attesting to that. There had been a long stream of stolen wives; small girls taken away from the parents; entire families killed to take the one that was chosen; brides stolen from the altar screaming at the top of their lungs for their beloved groom and most of the bridal party assassinated; wives with large families stolen from in front of entire families without compassion; it appeared to be a magic bond stronger than everything. And in each instance the Malfoy vaults had 'paid' for the only thing that matter to them.

The last time it happened, it had been fifty years before; her younger was twenty when he stole a young wife, recently wed. In order to take her, he had to kill the husband as well as his and her parents. Within a year, both, he and his bride, were killed by the witch's brother in their bed. Michel was their son. Michel, Henri's father had been two months when his parents had been murdered by their own kin.

She didn't tell Lucius, what for, it would not have made any difference, Muggle, Half-bloods, married, single, betrothed, in love with someone else, a young child or a babe, all matter naught, with the changing times, the laws were less forgiven. The curse wasn't protected as Veelas or other breeds, they were not creatures; just possessed by a monster that wouldn't abate.

**End of the History –interlude**.

At the end, praise the heavens, Lucius' better judgment had prevailed. He loved Draco with the deep love all Malfoys had for their children; he was a good son, and the Dark Lord's threat hung over them, they needed to stick together if they were to survive.

He was, however, surprised when he saw the little witch some weeks later, at Flourish and Blotts, she even talked to him, and his heart squeezed inside his chest. It was a feeling of loss, of angst, of not wanting to let go. He was cold and nasty to her, trying to put distance, but it didn't work. She was far from respectful, a little hellion, her lithe form and impertinent voice never left him, not awake and not while he slept. The horrible thoughts that plagued him for months after the Helsinki encounter; the same troubled ones, after Severus told him about the young witch, were there again.

He didn't understand the pull, it was not sexual, and he wasn't that kind of monster. Not yet, but it could easily turn into that, and he was afraid for his soul. Later that summer, he dropped the diary inside her satchel, and he hated himself, and for days he thought of getting it back. At the end, he had decided that it might be fine, if she would be gone, no more worrying about his bizarre inclinations.

He drank every night, and Narcissa didn't stop fighting with him. He wanted Narcissa gone. That year was a dark one for him. He wished for the earth to open its jaws and to eat Narcissa. He even went by the school and caught glimpses of the witch. She was perfect, and his entire being felt attuned to her. He took full advantage of job as a Governor to go to Hogwarts as often as he was allowed to go. The figures of her mother, the visions he had while in Helsinki would visit him during the day; and while he slept, the intensity of the wet dreams would wake him up screaming.

They even happened after an intense sex encounter with Cissa, one he had initiated, hoping to exorcise the sinful desires. The next morning, he woke up to his wife sitting on the bed, daylight illuminated the room.

Her mouth was pressed tight, "Dear me, who where you bedding in that dream, thrashing and thrusting your hips like a rutting beast. If that wasn't bad, you were calling her, 'my little love.' Who is she, because you have never called me that name? And look what you did to my gown," her gown was sticky with his release. "What demon has gotten inside of you once again, you disgust me."

So it was that his trips to Hogwarts had accomplished nothing, and just had added to his torment. Then, he found out where her parents lived, he paid for the address and went into her home. He had also paid to find out when they were gone, and which was the witch's room and Apparated right into it.

While there, he touched and smelled everything; read the spines of the books she read; and looked all around her room at her strange, non-moving Muggle pictures showing her growing up. She had been adorable, and he ached at having missed her growing years.

He didn't go into other areas, and would have stayed longer, but after thirty minutes or so, he nearly got caught by someone who cleaned the house. He only went that once and never went back again; it was too disturbing. Once he left, he realized that it had made him into the monster that scares little children at night.

Afterwards, he couldn't remember if the house had been big, small, only the girlie room, and a piece of ribbon he picked up without noticing. He made a vow to quit his unnecessary trips to Hogwarts and quit hurting himself, and drank for days until he blacked out.

He drank until Narcissa accused him of having a lover, and she claimed to, finallhave the evidence. When the ribbon had been cleaned, it was returned to her drawers since it was pink satin. She came to seek him, screaming at the top of her lungs and asked him where it came from. Coming back from the blackness, he waved her away, not a glance not a word. She threw the ribbon in the fire, and he just looked at it indifferently. Who cared, it was only a ribbon, and he wanted the girl who owned it.

When Draco told him all kind stories involving her, it was pure torture. His heart had physically ached when he heard about the Basilik. That same day Draco told his father, "She is an ugly witch, and I don't like her. She is nothing but a dirty Mudblood. "

Lucius saw red. He raised his eyebrow, "Son, she is growing into her beauty, her features are perfect, her only sin is her dirty blood." He saw Draco's eyes and knew that he liked the girl; and, suddenly, Lucius was afraid of other boys that would also fall for her.

During the years that followed, the young witch became an item of 'interest'. He paid attention to Draco's complains, and what he saw in Draco no longer concerned him. Draco admired the Muggle and craved her attention; he just wanted to be a good friend because he considered her to be his equal in intelligence, but he was denied of the chance to befriend her since her two bodyguards kept her under tight hold. He later realized that Draco was a Malfoy, and he had yet to meet the one for him. As he could guess, the same tragedy would also befall his poor son.

**Department of Mysteries**

It was at night at the Department of Mysteries, when the Dark wizard saw her, and his cock had betrayed him. His mouth was dry and lust clouded his senses. He could not believe his eyes, she was a woman, or she had the body of one. It was a new powerful feeling, surely, it was one never experienced before, not even when he married Cissa, and all he had wanted to do was to shag her day and night. Her perfect body had fascinated him, she was a rare beauty and quite sensual, just as the other Black kin. She would have been perfect for him had he not seen the baby in Helsinki, or the little witch later on.

No, this was different, it was the need to posses her, which ran in his veins instead of blood. His pupils were dilated, and his nose was flaring. He could not even breathe. He wanted to grab the young chit and have her right there. His wet dreams all came to flood his brain, all at once, gods, he wanted her. And his inattention might have cost them the day.

When Antonin sliced her, he wanted to kill him. He had no chance to shield her. It was fortunate that Lucius did no see the extent of the injury; he would have used an unforgivable on his second cousin. Severus later told Antonin the identity of the girl he had sliced.

When Snape reminded him of her name, he was quiet, just listened and didn't say a word to either of them. His eyes were forever haunted, he couldn't tell Lucius he had cursed her womb, he would have killed him, he was sure of it. Imbecile, he was the only one who didn't remember her name. He needed to find her and remove the curse before Lucius found out, he would do it the first chance he had.

He was pale and withdrawn, and later Lucius heard him say, "The old hag was right. I hope, that I didn't kill her, I have been wondering every time we have raided Muggles if she was one of them. I should have checked her pictures as others did. I pray to have the chance to change the future." From then on, he avoided his two former friends.

Narcissa was furious that he was going to Azkaban. He didn't want to hear her nagging, so he locked himself at the library. He read books about his family's history for validation. When she came later, demanding sex, he told her to leave, he could never touch her again.

He found records; time after time, Malfoys had married brides they met when she was an infant and he was a teen, or even older, much older; there were Malfoys thirty years older than their brides, and in a couple instances she was his senior. It wasn't a curse, and instead, it was an unusual type of bonding; simply, things were not as bad as he had made them out to be. As far as he could deduced, one of his elven ancestors had angered a powerful fey, and this was one of the consequences, to lose elven powers and also this, whatever it was. One day he would research further.

The last one union with a large age gap, a thirty-five year difference, had occurred years before his Pépère, at the start of the 19th century, and it no longer bothered him. There were the stories of murders, stealing brides at the altar, and other sordid affairs, that he wanted to ignore, and also ignored the stories that ended in heart breaks. Once he would bond, his age would be closer to hers, it was one of the dormant elven traits.

Otherwise, if the witch was still a child, every story, had always been the same, she would be raised by the Malfoys since travel was difficult during those time periods, there were many fifteen year old brides, and some just thirteen years old. Sixteen was her age or maybe a little older, maybe close to seventeen. Now, he shouldn't feel so dirty, but he did.

For days, he dreamed of her, he wanted her and would wait until she was of age. He denied himself self-gratification while the thoughts of possessing her refused to leave his mind. He did not want to have orgasm thinking about a child, it was just monstrous. The wet dreams were not his doing, and in the dreams she had been much older. Yet, her image wouldn't leave him, and he would become aroused just thinking of her name.

He would not be able to marry her because of her blood, maybe later when the war was over; a mistress, he would make her his mistress. No, he couldn't do that, she was of a high-born family. Nothing would happen until the war was over, and then it would be time to think. He just didn't know if he would last without her. He was dying without her, a little at a time. He hated the war, Voldemort, Narcissa, and mostly his life without her.

-•-

A/N. I feel sorry for Lucius, he is being my victim, and there is more yet to come. So what has been Severus doing? I think he had clear braces, they started in Europe in the mid to late 80s. Hmm, what is he doing? And Hermione fell for blondie at first sight...Lol. Smart baby.


	5. Atrocities, and Memories

**Disclaimer: HP world belongs to JKR.**

**WARNING: This chapter contains some scenes of violence, and torture, mostly intense angst and physiological torture, but nothing very graphic. However, it might be disturbing, and it might upset you. I know it isn't my normal style, but the story called for it. Things will improve after this chapter**.

**I read reviews of readers who were upset at this chapter, and I changed few sentences, unfortunately, the plot doesn't work without it. As Savva said, this chapter is about the ugliness of War. May we all try to keep our world at peace, to prevent the horrors that come with fighting.**

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**Bella, the Monster**

**_Lucius_**

He had been told the witch and her two body guards had been caught, and he broke in a cold sweat, physically ill. He could not have foreseen what would soon pass; the day, the bitch Bella hexed the girl.

Dolohov had confessed him about the night in the Ministry of Magic. He held nothing back, "Sorry my dear cousin, I didn't recognize her, and I hexed her with a very old curse, it renders the witch sterile for the rest of her life. Please hear me, I have gone by her cell, and in the guise of seeing the prisoner, I reversed it, please forgive me."

Lucius was beyond angry, "You better wished you are right, otherwise, you and your family are dead. And know, you are no longer in my favor. I no longer think of you as my brother."

They were still talking, and Lucius was regretting his original decision in Helsinki, the one not to take the baby with him, when they were called into the main receiving room.

He could have never imagined a day so terrible if he had tried, and it had to go down as one of the darkest day of his life, even worse than the day when Antonin injured her; but he was wrong, there were worse days ahead, days of despair, days when he wished to be dead.

He stood there, looking at Bella torture his witch. His back was covered with sweat; and he had dug his nails into his skin in an effort not to cast a hex. Each of her screams had made his insides ache. What made it worse was having to stand and watch stoically, as if he did not care? Otherwise, the payment would have been too high, his death, Draco's, and yes, even hers.

Afterwards, Severus was even paler than he had ever been, "It took all to stand in there; it was hard not to kill that bitch Bellatrix. Hermione looks exactly as her mother did at her age, but for the hair." Lucius noticed the blood in his friend's hand, and the nail marks.

"It was eerie to see her beautiful young face contorted in pain. I must go back to Hogwarts, I need to get drunk tonight. After today, any chances I ever had to get closer to Jean are forever gone. How can I ever face her again? When she finds out that I just stood like a coward and let the little witch be tortured, she will hate me. I need to get very drunk, I have lost it all." Severus ranted before leaving his friend.

Lucius had, yet again, missed an important revelation disclosed by his best friend. In his sorrow, he had failed to notice the familiarity how he had referred to Hermione's mother.

**Hermione.**

**Living the ghosts of the past**

It had been over three and one half years since the war had ended. She had been away, across the oceans, she lived at a place where she studied very hard and tried to forget.

"What is here for me? Father dead and my mother missing, isn't life grand. My mother has zero relatives, other monsters took care of them, how ironic, an entire blood line whipped out during WWII, over a matter of blood, always having the 'wrong blood.'"Hermione conducted her nearly daily monologue.

And her father's family, there were not many of them. They would want for her to live in cold houses, both climate and love wise, no thanks. They made the Purebloods seem as warm and friendly people. She had already heard all the reasons why she needed to 'settle down.'

She had a few cousins who would make the nastier of the Slytherins appear like giggling Hufflepuff. They had already introduced her to many 'eligible' bachelors, all with impeccable credentials and a heart of ice, who would never accept her magical side. Her pedigree was _clean_ enough; that is how her father's aunt had put it. For goodness sake, she was a human female and not a dog or a horse.

Hermione dressed very slow. Her limbs felt as pure lead, during these days even dressing had turned into a chore. Today she was going to clean the graves of the fallen. Was this all that was left after the fight, the living inmersed in their daily routines, and the dead nearly forgotten; to be only remembered once in a while?

It would not do for this witch; the fallen were still part of her daily life. She could not forget anyone of them. It did not suppose to end like this. How could she forget the Potions Master, how?

Harry, Harry, how could she be around him once more? She could not blame him for looking out for himself, but to have chosen a witch probably older than his mother. But that wasn't the problem, it was all the pain he had brought to so many. And now he had a baby, one that she refused to meet, it had been premature, and she still did not know if it was a boy or a girl. Well, not a baby, a nearly three year old toddler.

They were still waiting for the actual naming ceremony since she was the godmother. It was not unusual when the godparents came from far away. Besides, she viewed the child as the reason Ginny ended up missing, she had come and had also witnessed them the day after the battle, and where the devil was she?

She could not even visit the Weasleys. They associated her with Harry, like it was all her fault. Hermione continued talking to herself, "Ron is too damaged. I think the tragedies of Fred's bad leg, and Ginny's dissappearance, never leave him for a minute. Ron also blames himself for not preventing Bellatrix from cursing me; and he doesn't know the half. He cannot look at me without crying, and, go figure, he has no problems with Harry."

She whipped the tears rolling down her face with the back of her hand and continued her monologue.

"He lives at the country home with Harry and his new family, what bloody idiocy. The fool blames himself for my screams at night, for my inability to have a _normal_ relationship." And as she often did, she was back into reliving one of the 'bad days.'

Without a warning, she is in the middle of a past scene, revisiting the proable reason why Harry married his wife, after all, it was the time when she, the wife, became pregnant.

_** Hermione forces her legs to keep walking away from the battle stage. She wishes to either shut her senses to the ongoing horrors, or to be able to cry. Tears refuse to fall; her eyes deny her the flow of tears necessary to wash her pain away._

_She wants to close her eyes and will this day away. Finally her legs give away upon entering the castle, and she slowly drops on the ground stones, leans against the wall, and lets her head hang low for a long time, whilst she holds her wand as an extension of herself. She seems to be a broken puppet._

_She hears the grunting sounds and the moans, and, slowly, she opens her eyes and first looks to her left. She quickly blinks several times as if to clear her eyes, not sure of what she has just seen.. But yes, there cannot be a mistake, that is Harry, and his eyes are thightly closed, his neck thrown back, and he screams in a great pain- his robe is in tatters, and his trousers lay in a puddle by his ankles. _

_She can, nearly, touch his strong legs, which strain from baring the weight of a woman, whose incredible porcelain legs are wrapped around his waist. She has her back to the wall, her bare bum against it, and Harry's hands cup her bottom to hold her up._

_She cannot not take her eyes away from the couple next her. From her floor position, she is privy to all their actions, their movements, their joining... and it downs on her that this is how, real sex supossed to be and not what she had when they had forced Draco on her. And she sits there, just watching._

_Most of all she wants to discover the woman's identity but her face is hiding in the other side of Harry's head. She is able to see the woman's hands caressing his face, his neck, his ass, while she cries someone's name that Hermione is unable to catch. Moreover, she is, also, able to see the mad kissing, licking and biting, as if their lives depend on it..._

_Finally they are at the end of their encounter, their legs are quivering and Harry is still kissing the woman in his arms as she suddenly breaks into sobs and tears, with no apparent end on sight. As Harry drops her to the floor, the woman's face comes into clear view. It is at that instance when Hermione recognizes the face, and her voice is much to loud when she says "Lady M..alfoy_?"

_A ginger hair young witch has also been standing there, and runs away when Hermione sees her. "Ginny wait, wait._.."

"Oh Harry, Harry, it might have not been your fault, but face it, it isn't as if the Malfoys haven't had enough. And Ginny, how about Ginny?" She was back and heard herself talking.

Tears kept rolling down her eyes._ None of her friends knew the reason for her nightmares, and none of them knew of that day, well maybe Harry knew. However, Ron was wrong, it was not the Cruciatus; that wasn't it._

_Yes, it was bad, but not as terrible as to what she had to endure when she was dragged to 'The Interrogation.' It was a good thing the boys were charmed to sleep while she was gone. And two days after when they were able to escape, she wasn't able to leave since they had moved her into another area._

She wanted to stop thinking and went to get the bottle of vodka; she poured a generous serving mixed with tomato juice, a dash of Tabasco, and a sprinkle of cracked pepper. She sat and drank it in one swig, her breakfast. She knew the routine; the unbidden thoughts would invade her mind as wild horses, and she was never able to stop them, but the vodka helped to keep them at bay.  
_  
_Enough ruminating, she made herself to finish getting ready. Once she was dressed, she would go to clean up the area for the visitors that were sure to come for this long weekend. Only one thing made her less guilty, it was the fact that his body might not ne dead but in stasis, the body of Professor Snape, and he waited inside his grave.

He was waiting, for what? He was dead; she had seen his ghost. "Get me some help, I cannot breathe, help me. Don't go away." That was all she heard since she came for the May memorial, it was always the same, every year, for two and one-half months, non-stop, seeing his eyes and hearing his pleading. She felt a wave of nausea and closed her eyes. Oh, no, it was the pull, dragging her into unbidden times and places.

After a minute Hermione opened her eyes and saw that she was no longer in her room, but instead she was back at the Manor, the day after the Cruciatus. She blinked, not again, she didn't want it.

_She is pulled out the cell, "Mudblood, hurry up, you are going to be inerrogated," and she is brought into a room._

_It is dark, but she can hear others breathing. It is but a minute, and the room is brightly illuminated. She sees Draco next to her; they are both naked, and in front of them the Dark Lord sits in a large armed chair; he wears a hood obscuring his features, and darkly robbed Bellatrix sits on his lap._

_"Ah, if it isn't the Mudblood and the coward together, how perfect this can be? We will have a show of the best kind, for our enjoyment."_

_The Dark Lord made an announcement with malevolence dripping out his voice, and Bellatrix claps her hands._

_"Everyone else out, now, no, not you Severus, neither you Lucius nor Cissy, you don't want to miss your students, or your son's performance, do you?" Voldemort first Looks at Severus, then points his finger at the older Malfoys._

_Professor Snape is to her right, trying to avoid looking at them. Tears of anger and humiliation cloud her eyes. She will not look at anyone, but in defiance, she lifts her face and stares at a point past the sitting couple._

_Bellatrix pulls her wand and points it at them; seconds later a mattress appears right under their feet, making them topple. As she falls on top of Draco, the two monsters laugh._

_"Ah, aren't they sweet. They cannot wait to have their hands all over each other. Severus, come and sit by me, and I order every one of you to keep your eyes open during their performance. You need to see how the Mudblood bitch bleeds for our worthless stud. I hear she is untried, waiting for her future groom." Voldemort laughs and looks at Severus whose face does not move a muscle._

_Her eyes go to Mr. Malfoy, whose face is devoid of color and also frozen like her professor's._

_The rest is a haze. Draco cries and apologizes profusely.. He is forced to drink a lust potion because he cannot get an erection. He refuses to touch her, and he is Imperious to be a savage with her._

_When he is done with her, there is not a virgin place left in her body. She is covered with blood, semen, sweat, and her own tears. Draco is raw from all the activity, and to add salt to the injury, his damn aunt, jumps on him, and rides him like a horse. It is a good thing that she faints._

And as always the vision left her, and she was back in her room. She remembers; _in the morning, when she woke up and found that her body was cleaned, and obviously someone had given her a pain potion. Then came the rescue, and she had to pretend to have tripped, she was so very ashamed. How she wished she had left with them._

"So many secrets and so much pain_," _she said aloud and drank straight from the bottle.

Se needed to go and see Draco today, the only person who shared her pain. She poured another shot and drank. She would see him after cleaning the graves.

**Draco-**

He cried everyday. After all, he asked himself the same question day after day, who could go on and want to stay in the world of the living after seeing what he saw, or doing what he had done?

The memories of what he did to Granger never left him; who could have done such terrible things to a nice witch one admire so much? He had wanted her friendship, because he knew love would never be possible, and being her friend was enough. Maybe one day he would find someone; one who waited for him somewhere, and he knew it.

A friend didn't do the things he was forced to do to her. He wanted to be killed, but he wasn't granted the option.

The flashbacks, past memories, were his daily bread, he couldn't stop them, and he kept going back on time to relive the same events. It was the same for Granger, and more than anything they wanted them to stop.

The headache was starting. He closed his eyes, he couldn't stop the nightmare.

_It has been nearly four weeks and her idiotic friends still have not rescued he; Merlin what is wrong with them? His monster aunt is at his door, "Dwaco-baby, you must come with Auntie Bella. You have front row seating to an exciting show. You will love it, very informational."_

_His heart cringes with fear and disgust. His parents have been forbidden her to talk to him since that horrible day._

_He closes his eyes and walks inside the room_.-

Draco managed to get back into the here and now, and desperately tried not to be back, but he was unable to fight it.

It was happening right that second, the memory never leaves him…_ the smell, the sounds…he is right there; it is the drawing room again. _He wants to break out; he cannot see this once again, 'make it stop,' he screams.

_This time Granger, surprise, is half-naked and tied; Healer Muctis, the son, is there and his face of the color of chalk._

_His father, Lucius, doesn't want to stand by Narcissa. Poor his mother, she is being dragged and has to sit by her sister. Father goes and stands by uncle Snape. Draco looks at his father, whose face is full of compassion, and he is amazed to see the tears pouring out of his eyes. What the fuck is going on_?

_Granger is crying, "No, don't do this to me. It is savage. It is my baby, I don't care how it happened, it is my body, don't do it, not to me. It is murder, I want my baby."_

_Bellatrix stands up and pulls Draco near her._

_"Draco, dear, do you want to have a baby with this dirty Mudblood? Imagine, how revolting, the bitch had the guts to get pregnant? Her baby should be fed to Nagini, but it is too small, just small enough to flush down the loo, right down where it belongs to mix with all the waste." She smiles to him with a hint of malice._

_Draco comprehension hits him right inside his guts, and it feels as if he is being torn apart._

_"Aunt, why do that? I don't care, let her have her Mudblood baby; I won't claim it as my own."_

Onl_y Voldemort and Bella laugh with glee. Even Fenrir isn't talking; his lips are fixed in a snarl. Neither is a monster such as Mulciber, you don't kill one of their babies. The baby is a Halfblood, and she is one powerful witch. The silence is oppressing and many of the Dark wizards refuse to look at the scene._

_Antonin, for a change, is standing near uncle Severus, close to the table where the young witch is tied. His face is very pale, he hasn't shaved for days, same with Uncle Severus, they both look rather ill._

_Lucius' knuckles are white from holding too tight, his face is devoid of color, even his lips are white, he is holding his jaw very tight, but cannot stop the torrent of tears, or his body from shivering. His hair is flying in the air; the currents of magic are felt across the room._

_Narcissa appears sedated, drunk, or as if she has taken a potion, or maybe she has taken some of all, tears also run down her cheeks non-stop. Bella caresses his mother's hair, whose eyes look dead; Draco wants to leave this room, he tries very hard, closes his eyes, but no, he is still right inside. He wants to go back to the present, but he has to live this monstrosity, again._

_"Ah how sweet, the entire family mourning, what do you say Professor is this sweet or what? Maybe, the baby is Potter's, all mudbloods are such sluts. Hmm, but maybe not, he would have been here by now to rescue his whore."_

_Voldi laughed. "Why don't you allow the grieving grandparents to get a little closer to witness the joyous event?"_

_All the married Death Eaters, see their sons in Draco's place, and how it could be one of the watching their grandchild get killed. With their low birth rate you don't kill the child of such a powerful witch, and Voldermort is losing his troops, one by one. Each other second, he loses one of his men._

_Rumors had been circulating that the girl was related to the Muggle royals, or if not, they are quite important. It makes it all worse, more real._

_They didn't sign for this war, their Lord had gone mad. Feeding a teacher to a snake, now performing a forbidden killing without giving the father a choice, this was just not done. The rape wasn't that bad, but this is just too much. Fathers own their offspring, nor the Dark Lord, and neither does Bellatrix, damn barren witch._

Draco was able to open his eyes, and he was back at his home eating breakfast. His heart is beating irregularly and tries to calm himself. However, the pull was too strong, and he was suddenly in the middle of the scene, it was a common occurrence. He did not want to go there, but in seconds he was back.

_Aunt Bella is dragging his mother, "Cissy, our Dark Lord and Master says you must stand by your husband," she is trying to resist, yet Bella drags her while laughing non-stop. Draco wants to kill his aunt, but how can he? He doesn't even have a wand. His entire family has lost their wands._

_His father comes forward on his own and holds his shoulder. Not in an embrace but a sign from one warrior to another. He is also in room detention; they all have fallen out of grace._

_Aunt Bella is the lady of the Manor. Uncle Rodolphus mind has left him, and he just sits there, spaced out. His mind snapped long ago from seeing his brother tortured one too many times. Uncle Rabastan stands by him, __impassive; he is so tired, he cannot see anymore. He cannot watch this; he knows he will snap. He puts a hand on his brother's shoulder, who is also crying. They are about to kill his nephew._

_Antonin, is nervous, Draco notices he has moved very close to them. He is now standing to his left._

_As usual, Draco hears himself screaming when Muctis goes in her body, "I am so very sorry, forgive me, forgive me, and she screams nonstop. "My baby… no..."_

_Antonin leans over and holds her hand, the one she has over her belly. He is also crying non-stop. "I am so sorry child, we are all monsters." Lucius sounds like a wounded animal, and his mother faints. Bella laughs non-stop calling them all cowards._

And he was back once again at the breakfast table, back from the hell he often visited. The tears blinded his eyes. He stood up and re-read the rambling message from Healer Muctis, who has never been the same.

He just came from a long trip to Germany. He left after the war to heal his mind. This Healer Muctis was the son of the old family Healer. Old Muctis was killed by Bella for refusing to do the 'job'. She gutted him in front of his entire family and made his grandchildren watch. They were between five and nine years of age at the time. They had a dispensation from the Ministry to Obliviate them after the children were catatonic for months.

Draco sat by the breakfast table and poured some tea. He ignored the tears that mixed with the hot beverage; he was used to it, what was new?

* * *

xox

** That is scene from one of my short stories. I often allude to parts of that short story in my other fictions.

A/N Tortures like the ones described are not unusual in troubled countries. Hopefully one day, the world will be rid of such abuse. I don't like writing about bad things, but hiding from the truth is wrong. This chapter makes me upset, and I have considered removing it, but it would take away from the story.

Next chapter should be a lot better, Lucius is about to meet Hermione.

A day for rain and sun.


	6. The Curse of an Elven Knight

**DISCLAIMER:** HP's world belongs to JKR

**This was part of the next chapter, but since some many feathers have been ruffled, I give you this as a read ahead to clean the mind.**

**For those readers who think the last chapter does not have a place in this story, it does. I can safely assure you it does. And since I like nice outcomes, why don't you sit tight and wait. You might like the surprise. Don't jump the gun, and please wait nicely. In the words of the great Yogi Berra. 'It ain't over till is over.' And appearances are deceiving, do wait. Good things come to those who do.**

**Yes, I love sayings and have made a few of my own. When I was a young teen, I went thru a phase that I would only talk in sayings, proverbs, tao, and the such. Needless to say it drove many crazy. Please put up with me.  
**

* * *

**A Legend**

Lucius read the entry he had just found. It was written by an M'Lefeu witch, their old name.

_My mother in-law told me a story the day my son was born. Is the story of how we were cursed by Morgana Lefey._

_It was an old quarrel that started when the young knight M'lefeu bedded her in a lust frenzy induced by a potion._  
_  
She had wanted the Nordic three-quarter-elven wizard, since the moment he arrived at Arthur's court dressed in black velvet and silver. He looked so amazing, that all humans, magic beings or not, of all sex and ages, were blinded by the desire to be with him if they stared at him for longer than a few seconds. _

_Regardless, all females wanted upon seeing him. However, their lives would fade away with unhappiness if they were able to his uncovered face. From that moment thereon, all they would see would be his face in front of them, unless he would make them his bride. Hence the reason that he always wore face masks upon arriving at the British Isles; well not all the time, because he did not like to cover his face when he was flying. He loved the wind on his face, the freedom of the air, and to soar up in the skies like a bird. He didn't use a broom, he didn't need to, he could will his body to sprout wings only seen to Magical beings, and he would usually fly away from all others seeking privacy.  
_

_Morgana the Fey was flying her broom the day she encountered him. His face was uncovered and was right in front of her. First she tried to seduce him, but he turned her down, politely. Immediately after, she went to see Merlin and demanded to be his bride. He explained that the bonding ritual had already taken place, but the chosen one was a very young lady and although, she had just turn twelve, his life was forever bonded with hers. He warned her to stay away, and reminded her of the power of Elven magic, and they were a warrior race. He could actually hurt her, but she ignored him._

_Merlin tried harder, he told her M'Lefeu's story._

_He had been promised to his bride one year before. Merlin had found her, she was the daughter of a Norman family who had a blood bond with him. It was not uncommon for the Elven males to be up 25 years older than their brides, and for the couple would be bonded after the bride's first blood. But those marriages were in name only since Elven customs forbade the consummation of the union until the time when she turned16, if she accepted; and at the latest when she became 18, regardless of consent._

_The matches were not love matches, nevertheless, they were permanent. Elven males had a strict code of honor, and loyalty and honesty were held in high regard. Naturally sensual creatures, often found happiness with the carefully chosen brides._

_The custom, for the richest pureblood families, was for the bride to be claimed the day of the celebrations. However, many times, the young woman would be sent to live under the care of a relative, who would go to live in the groom's residence until the time the consummation could take place. Elven closely followed the tradition, but he decided to let her live at her home, and he would stay with Merlin at Arthur's court until she turned old enough. The North lands might be too cold for his young bride, and a war was being waged in his home land. With his gold he had acquired a large property where he would build the castle where future M'Lefeu genrations would live. _

_Since the ritual demanded that the groom remained celibate upon finding their mate, the Elven wouldn't wait to have the ritual until the bride's first blood, and the wait wouldn't be so long. During the ritual, magic binds would be put in place, and breaking them would mean eternal sorrow, and sometimes even death, if the Guardian Elven deemed the offense grave enough. _

_At the First blood, the bonding ritual was overseen by the one of the Guardian Elven, who appeared on queue for the ceremony, when a stream of blood would flow from a place above he couple's hearts and would mix midway into a sun-like-ball of red fire which would divide into exactly two halves, and would go back to each of the couple and re-enter their bodies in a second point next to the first. Afterwards a small tattoo would appear, and it would contain a special gift. From this point on, the couple would forever be able to physically see their mate no matter how far apart they were, and the male could always be at her side in the blink of an eye. _

_All Merlin's explanations were wasted. She didn't care and tricked the Elven Knight into drinking a potent lust potion, but the night wasn't enough, and she decided to keep him forever._

_The morning following the seduction, Morgana declared her love to him. He was horrified because she had tricked him in order to make him break his promise and went into a rage. Many of those who saw the magnificent warrior screaming in pain, ran for cover, lighting was falling, and the skies turned dark. Morgana laughed at his sorrow and made fun of it. She ran naked after him, taunting and calling him names. It proved to be too much for the fallen warrior._

_In his grief he blinded one of her eyes and accidentally burned her chest badly, leaving a large scar of an unknown rune, with elven fire, thus permanent. As Merlin had warned her, his magic was very Enraged, she cursed his line to live in misery if unable to find one destined for them; an arranged bonding would no longer work. They could marry someone else, but they were bound to find their destined sooner or later, and they would do whatever it took to take their bride when found._

_His bride rejected him for breaking their bond. She had seen his bedding with Morgana thru their special bond, and he had broken her young heart. And it was nearly three decades before he found his destined, as he had been allowed by one of the elders, partially forgiving his sin. They told him that he should have left Arthur's court after Morgana had seen his face, and he knew they were right._

_During his mourning, he stopped using his wings; he then turned to Dark magic, feeling unworthy due to his betrayal of a sacred bond. And when he tried to fly later on, he could no longer conjure his wings, they were gone, it was his punishment, and he was allowed to keep his magic without the elven powers that were many. His life became shorter, and his descendants were denied to enter the Elven realms when they were ready to leave this one. His descendants lost their magnificent beauties, but they were still magnificent._

_It was said that the pain would heal the day an M'Lefeu wizard wedded a witch descending from the same line as the betrayed bride. With their love consummation the curse would reverse, the misery would go away, and their elven powers would return to our line. I hope it happens soon, my sons are coming of age_. _Gunnilda M'Lefeu, Anus Domini MCCCXX._

Lucius lifted his eyes and closed the book. It had been written in the year 1320 by one of his ancestors, a witch. And he believed it, he had heard before of their Elven blood, but the Elven had long left this realm.

Obviously, nobody had figured out how to break the curse, because none of his ancestors had ever found a descendant from the Norman witch to be their destined one. The family's name was Largent. He looked in the history books, and he found it the line had disappeared during the nineteenth century. All that was left were the Muggle line, so much for that.

He wondered why nobody had pursued the family, and he suspected that none of them had been _their destined one_. He shrugged his shoulders; probably a part of Le Fey's curse, those witches would never be a destined one.

He readied to go and visit his friend's grave, and then he would stop to visit Draco. He stayed in the Dowager's home and never came by the main house. He missed his son, and he would forever miss the witch who would never have him. Damn the day his path had crossed Bellatrix Black's.

He wrapped the cape around him, grabbed his cane, and left.

* * *

Ah, a mistery solved, it is not a curse, it is a curse made in anger which controls all their behavior. Let's see where it takes us.


	7. Paths Crossing

**JKR owns HP.**

The story is about to start a climb from its very deep fall; our pair is about to meet, and wait, not in this chapter, but maybe in the next, things will really warm up, in the best of ways. For now, let's take a peek into the...

* * *

**Hogwarts' Fallen Heroes Grave Yard**.

**Lucius-**

The May morning, was unseasonably cold, and the winds blow fiercely; plants bent and branches of trees made weird sounds, and their combined effect just added to the already somber scene.

Many who had been students at the Castle, made this their final home of rest, and only a few remained behind, most had long left to their next destinations. Nevertheless, the occasionally visible ghost walked along the pathways and greeted new comers; and there were those who roamed without discernable aim not seeing or caring. And yet others, caught between the here and there, just observed and tried to communicate their concern. It all contributed to the prevailing atmosphere of the Hogwarts Fallen Heroes Grave Yard.

It was very early in the morning, and the visitors from far and wide, who would come to pay homage to the fallen heroes from the last Wizarding War would not be arriving until much later. However, there was one visitor, a tall white-blond haired wizard purposely walking towards a specific grave site.

This was the first time Lucius Malfoy had come to visit his best friend, after his life had been snuffed during the last battle. Although he had attended the funeral, he was unable to stand at the grave site; he couldn't bear to face the hard truth, nothing new there.

He had gained a reputation and was thought to be a hard boiled egg. Some thought of him as Lord 'No lessons learned,' a name he had fully earned. It was due to his seemingly uncaring attitude, after he had experienced many tragic events during recent years: twice incarcerated; a troubled son who was barely there; and a spouse's desertion after a marriage of more than 20 years, to name a few.

However, that wasn't entirely truthful; he did care and hurt deeply, because of a secret event that only a few knew. The pain gnawed at him at the constant memory of the unforgivable offense. He couldn't stop thinking about it; of how he had stood and just watched. Gods, he had not even lifted a finger, had not even uttered a protest, while heinous crimes were inflicted upon the witch, his Hermione, who meant everything to him; and not only she was hurt, but also his beloved only son, the gentle young man he had destroyed.

He had bitterly learned a hard lesson, and he would give all he had, if only... he could change the outcome.

He raised the hood and closed the horn and silver buttons of his thick fur lined cloak. His feet made crunching noises as he stepped onto the frozen ground from the night before.

The sinister effect was strengthened by the lugubrious surroundings; the pale, somber wizard could have been the Grimm Reaper, complete with, wait, wrong, not a sickle but a cane with a prominent snake head. The caretaker had noticed Lucius and was a bit spooked by his appearance. His darkness clung to him, and wrapped him inside a fearsome shroud; and, occasionally, thin wisps of magically charged smoke would dance around him.

"Good afternoon, Sir, this wind chills anybody right to the bone," the old caretaker tried to make small talk as Lucius passed in front if him. He thought that Lucius was impervious to the strong winds' freezing blows. Sudden gusts would batter everything standing, managing to penetrate through the thin robe worn by the impoverished old wizard who tended to the grave yard.

_Doesn't he mind the cold, or maybe he isn't human?_ The old caretaker wondered, and once again a frightened shiver ran along his body, maybe he was a vampiric creature, or with that coloring, the Grimm Reaper himself. He had heard plenty of ghoulish tales and knew that some were true.

With considerable effort Lucius answered, "Who cares, warmth is a luxury for those that feel alive." Lucius answered; his voice was rich and clearly belonged to an aristocrat.

And as an afterthought, Lucius reached inside his robes and pulled a few gold coins out a heavy leather purse, "Go and buy warm clothes, and perhaps hot food. After all, you are part of the living, or so it seems."

The old man looked at the coins, they felt like a lot. His eyes opened in surprise, it was a bounty, thirty one galleons, and he had given him three-ten galleon gold pieces plus one more galleon coin. "Thanks my Lord, thanks, may you be blessed." But Lucius had already gone far ahead.

Alas, sometimes kind acts can be seen and heard by those we cannot see, and its rewards often exceed what was given or done.

Lucius was a wizard who had rarely acknowledged his transgressions, and seldom recognized his faults. He had, always, been quick to assign blame to anyone but his own-self. However, presently, his mind's condition was less than optimal; and, maybe, the despair felt, was forcing him to honestly re-evaluate how his personal contributions had impacted the events, which, clearly, preceded his presently sorry state of affairs.

Even though, his privileged life had been under attack for a long time, he had been reticent to assume responsibility for his past actions, especially when related to his political life or his business dealings. Except whenever his personal life was involved; indeed, he knew and had long accepted that, 'he was the one who had destroyed all in his path,' those were the words from the old hag long ago. Unfortunely, they have come to pass, and he often remembered them.

He walked deep in thought, perhaps, trying to figure out where he had gone wrong, maybe evaluating his guilt. And that was exactly what he was doing in the place where the dead lay.

_He should have killed Snake-Man and the rotten piece of work, the fucking Bella, at the time when he had the opportunity. He could have done it the first day when he had returned from Azkaban; he still had full control of his home. He could have poison them, choked in the sleep, send one of the elves, some many different ways when he was still the Lord of the Manor. _

_Rodolphus had begged him and others had as well, but he didn't want his precious home and belongings destroyed. Moreover he was still blinded by his Pureblood convictions. What short sight, what fool he had been, they were only things; what were the Manor and the riches inside? Things, and who cared about just things. They were cold, uncaring, and neither alive nor warm. Yes, he acknowledged those sobering facts._

_Now he didn't even have Cissa. Of course, he wasn't in love with her, his heart was already given, but he missed her company, and the superb management of their social life. Losing Cissa to the young wizard had been an affront to his inflated pride. He had seen them from far away, and if appearances counted, they were fucking happy, they kissed in public and their hands were always holding. Cissa looked years younger, they went to balls and were the center of attention. It just couldn't be possible. However, that was a scratch on the surface, and nothing compared to the real pain lying below._

His guilt consumed him; he had stood by, while the monsters destroyed the only witch who could have saved him, oh Lord. He relived those days every second, how could have stood while they murdered his grandchild, what did that make him? He could have taken action against Voldemort, and perhaps he would have destroyed the Manor, so what? The old crone had been right; he had literarily fed his own flesh and blood to the snake. Poor Draco, he hadn't been able to defend his own flesh and blood against the ones he brought into his own walls.

If only that terrible matter had not happened. The memory of that day was so horrifying that most that had seen it, had tried to forget, or had asked to be Obliviate, like Cissa did. Rabastan had begged Lucius to help them forget, and he had done just that, but at a great cost.

The Lestrange brothers had lost a lot of their adult life, maybe it was for the best or maybe not. It as later found out Voldemort, and Bella, his executioner, had held them under an unforgivable for over twenty-five years.

Fenrir had turned against Voldemort, but he didn't ask to have the memory removed, he didn't want to forget, neither did Antonin who ran away after the battle with Rabastan and Rodolphus, they didn't want to be caught. In the end, all Voldemort's leading Death Eaters turned against him, because he broke unwritten rules, he shouldn't have touched one of their children; babies were a precious, untouchable commodity, not his to touch.

He now found himself utterly alone in his misery, and he finally knew that it was his entire fault; everything had happened because he had stayed by the side of the demented son-of-a-bitch.

His life should end for all practical purposes. What did he have left? The death of his best friend, was one of the worst things, but not as severe as being despised by the only witch for him. She could have made him feel that elusive emotion that cannot be bought, and only the luckiest can find, love.

Although he still projected an indulgent, self-servicing, condescending, and generally uncaring attitude, a careful observant might have been able to detect subtle cracks around the carefully cultivated persona, easily hidden behind his disguise.

Yes, without a doubt, he still had a Dark wizard's appearance and danger emanated from him. However, through the cracks, brilliant pin pricks of light were starting to filter and dissipate the darkness obscuring him.

Children had been known to run away when he came near them, and even cry; and only once during his life time, a young child smiled to him and only him. He would never forget that day in Helsinki. It was the only thing that kept him alive, and it was the reason for the light pricks attempting to fight a dark curse, casted nearly a thousand years ago.

Lucius steps were heavy, he only thought about her, and after reading the legend, he knew it to be true. Now, he fully understood that she was his destined, and that he had ruined everything. And to make it worse, he had also allowed his son to be destroyed.

He wished that he had found the narration earlier; he had read hundreds of books, and this was the first time he had seen it. He had skipped personal letters, memoirs and others like them. It had been the biggest mistake, and his life was made of too many.

If only he would have access to her, today, he would hold her, kiss her, adore her, touch and taste every place in her body; he would learn her topography; learn her dips and valleys; drink from her; fuck her until they were raw; he would turn her around and look at her beautiful bum while he had her...He would finally show her his feelings with no reservations. If he only had the chance, just thinking about her, his body grew hard…He smirked; his desire for her was his other punishment. He had never stopped dreaming about her, it was all he had left.

She was an adult, no longer a child, if only—. Looking back, he should have picked up the baby that time in Helsinki and ran away with her to the Loire. Perhaps all the tragedy could have been avoided, and he might even be happy today. A realization struck his mind, the old witch had literally meant fate was around the corner, they had first seen the Grangers turning a corner, just minutes after; his pride and arrogance had blinded him.

He had finally arrived at his friends grave, and his tormented thoughts receded somewhat. He walked around and observed the carefully maintained place, the hedges surrounding the clearing, a bench, flowers, and other loving touches; someone cared for his friend.

"Snape's life was terminated by the Half-blood-tyrannical-sociopath's nasty snake. All that blood spilled, to prove a universally known fact. After all, why prove that most Purebloods are superior, it is the undeniable truth." Lucius mumbled to himself.

He stood by the grave and started talking aloud. He pretended that his friend was in front of him, and they were conversing.

"Hello dear old friend, today I found out that even superior blood runs through my veins. Yes, you heard right, I descend from the powerful Nordic Elven. Ha, ha…Of course, from one fallen from grace, and who was cursed, by none other than Morgana for being careless; otherwise, I would stay young until it was time for me to leave for the next realm, and lived much longer, just imagine.

I have been thinking, Purebloods are superior, and that is a fact, but fighting for it, was madness."

He stopped his speech, and he remembered something from long ago.

"As I was saying," the Dark wizard continued his soliloquy, and pretended his friend answered and argued, just as they used to verbally spar long ago, "Of course, Severus, I hear you; you are not a common Halfblood, you are an exception to the rule. Yes, Miss Granger is also included, and yes, if Lady Granger were still around, it would also apply to her."

He paused and looked straight, "I had plenty of time to think, and I have not forgotten the many observations you made about the Lady Granger throughout the years. Moreover, I finally figured out that you must have kept in touch with her since Helsinki. You are correct, not too observant I was. I should have guessed; there were plenty of clues, you sly dog. Even if I am angry for you hiding the truth, you had your reasons. She is still missing, so I hear."

Inside, the aristocrat was still lost in his private hell; one he hadn't left since the Snake-Man moved into his Manor, courtesy of the monstrous sister-in-law.

He allowed the tears to flow freely, bent his head and his shoulders slumped; he could not longer pretend that nothing moved him. Maybe it was time to join Severus. He was so lost in his sorrow that he failed to see the approaching petite, hooded figure.

**Hermione-**

Lucius stood at the Professor's grave, but he had not seen her. She stopped where she was at, and considered turning around and running instead of having to face him.

She had not seen him since a year prior, during her unplanned trip to attend her Grandmother's funeral and to talk to her solicitors. She saw him outside in Diagon Alley, but he didn't even glance in her direction, and as usual, it broke her heart.

She was looking at him standing at the grave, talking to himself, and couldn't move, frozen in her tracks. All kind of thoughts started flowing into her mind.

* * *

Slowly but surely, the two are about to finally MEET. Trust me it will be worth it. And I have a bag of surprise and goodies. That hopefull many will like.


	8. Hermione and the Bad Dog

Disclaimer: JKR is the owner of HP.

Continuation- The chapter before and this comprise their main encounter, and left together would be too long. I have found out some readers don't like long chapters, and find it easier breaking them in two. Let me know what you like better. I am aiming for 3000 words + per chapter.

Expect the next chapter around Friday or so.

Now, we are really uphill by the end of this chapter.

* * *

**Hermione and a Bad Dog-**

Lucius stood at the Professor's grave, but he had not seen her. She stopped where she was at, and considered turning away.

She had not seen him since a year prior, during her unplanned trip to attend her Grandmother's funeral and to talk to her solicitors. Her visit had been extended to convert a substantial amount of the inherited cash accounts into galleons and added it to the Gringotts' vault. She saw him outside in Diagon Alley, but he didn't even glance in her direction, and as usual, it broke her heart.

She was looking at him standing at the grave, talking to himself, and couldn't move, frozen in her tracks. All kind of thoughts started flowing into her mind. She had been thinking about cutting her trip to England short, and going back to the States a few days later and maybe she would set residence there, away from the dead and the memories.

There was a lot to be done; there were many arrangements that she needed to put in place, before she could return to the US to finish her studies. All she did was studying; she was enrolled in a Muggle University's program of bio-genetic sciences, and also worked under a Master who had accepted her for a prestigious potion's apprenticeship. The crammed studies were made possible by the time turner she had, it was safely hidden, since all the other ones had been destroyed during the fire at the MoM.

Many times, she had been tempted to time travel and intervene, in order to prevent the horrors of those days when she had been held at the Manor. However, it was the idea of revisiting those days which prevented her, and made it difficult to give the matter further consideration. Albeit, one day she was going back, not there, she was going to prevent the death of Sirius and of Snape.

As for later today, she would go to visit Draco and share the Muggle picnic that had been prepared for her at an exclusive food court. And afterwards, she was planning to go out and get drunk, once again.

A few months after the war, Draco had suffered a catastrophic breakdown, made worse by his father's half a year incarceration, and by the appalling public debacle precipitated by his mother's recent choices. He had not forgotten the rough times, but not once they had talked about them. They knew it was neither of their faults, and they both had already paid an extremely high price.

Perversely, the baby's memory was the only one thing that kept Draco alive. Once in a while, he would look at Hermione, "He should be one, or two;" he kept track year by year, month by month. He had a calendar where he kept a record of his son's non-existing life.

The baby's memory was a courtesy from evil Bella; namely, she had made sure to let them know all she could about their child. She had stopped Muctis so she could cast a projection from the life embryo, and a magic picture had appeared to float above Hermione, of the baby as he would have looked at maybe two years of age. The little boy was Lucius as a child, with a button nose and curly platinum hair, but his eyes were amber with blue specks.

Bella had elicited tears from hardened-up Death Eaters, thinking their sons could be next. It was at that moment that Fenrir left the room, "If you hurt me, the werewolves will not fight along your side." Bella had lowered her wand, and the Dark Lord had told her to calm down.

Draco and Hermione would sit to hold hands and cry. He would tell her of his episodes but never saying what he saw, and she would do the same. "I just wish he could be here with us. I know you wouldn't have married me, but he would have made us quite happy. He would be such a beautiful boy, I just wish…" But she would never answer, her voice wouldn't come out.

She had often wished that she was able to change the outcome, for him, for her, for her father, for Severus. For her mother who had gone heaven knows where, maybe even dead.

Her father was murdered by a sympathizer of the Death Eaters, and it was at his funeral, when her mother volunteer to go with her to Severus' funeral. Hermione had been surprised; and she explained that while she didn't remember the dead professor, she wanted to keep her daughter company.

They entered the large room, and when her mother saw the life size portrait, she screamed, "Oh Severus," and fainted. Strange didn't start to explain the incident. During the following days, her mother cried non-stop, alternating between her father's name and Severus', it made Hermione go crazy.

It was at the Professor's funeral that her mother had recognized Lucius Malfoy; she knew exactly who he was and had pointed him to Hermione. "Darling, that is Lord Malfoy." Who had stared at her mother with sorrowful and compassionate eyes, but avoided looking at Hermione.

Afterwards, she wanted to know how she knew Severus and put her through an interrogation.

Hermione brought her a picture of Snape and sat next to her.

"Darling, I first met him when you were a baby." She said touching Severus face," It was during that time in Helsinki, and I never forgot." Her mother confessed.

"I saw Severus a few times at the train station and recognized him." She stopped, her face blushed bright red, and was about to say something else when she changed the conversation. Hermione was beyond suspicious, but her mother refused to say more.

Instead, she told her. "There were three of them, impossible attractive, beautiful if that can be said about a man, and well dressed. I was thinking they were either actors or maybe members of a Rock and Roll band, or even royalty, I had turned nineteen and was dazzled. One of them was a man, with the strangest of hairs, and who looked like a dark angel, and you were fascinated by him." Her mother looked at Hermione who was listening carefully because she had never heard this story.

"Your poor father, always so proper, he later accused him of being a baby snatcher. Mr. Malfoy was behaving rather odd as if he wanted to run away with you. He was the blond man when you were little, it always had been. He was the one your father talked about. You didn't like Malfoy because of the Blond Man, he is the original."At this Hermione laughed and felt the stirrings she did whenever Lucius name was mentioned. She shifted in her seat; she felt a cramp coming, and the strange ache inside of her, starting in her cervix.

And she thought of him, she would never forget when she saw him crying, both when she was raped, and when, when, that time.

He had sent her books, jumpers, warm socks, daily, and made sure she had the best food, and even fresh flowers. He sent her short scroll inquiring of her well being, and was the one who had made her escape possible. He was also a prisoner and was forbidden to see her or Draco. She didn't blame him for not helping; it wouldn't have been possible, poor Lucius.

She had been in love with him since the first time she saw him in 1992. So when her mother told her about Helsinki that surprised her, what a strange man, and she wondered why he had never mentioned it.

A few days later she opened her heart to her daughter, "My dear, I had a gigantic crush in Snape. Don't think poorly of me, but I actually saw him, in secret, but just to have tea, and only a couple of times. Apparently, he had overheard the name of the hotel and came back. John did not like him at all, but we still met even after he asked him to leave the room when he first came to visit."

Hermione was dazed and a bit confused; Professor Snape had always been hard with her, perhaps a cover.

"Mom did you see him later?"

"Yes, we reconnected when you started attending Hogwarts, it was during the time her father appeared to have difficulties with your magic, and I wanted someone who understood us. My mother had told me about the possibility of magic people in our family, but since they all were murdered there was no way for us to find out. She must have been a Squib. Her brother, I am not sure, he was very secretive, and devout in his old religion."

"Mother you never told me any of this." Hermione held her hand.

Her mother was animated, "I know, because when I told your father, he blamed me for your magic. I did wrong things. Please, this is too much," she dried her tears, "I will tell you more when I am ready."

Hermione understood, she didn't want to be judged by her daughter. Her mother and Snape, it was just too weird, Hermione thought.

Albeit her father was a cold man, and treated her mother with certain formality, there was no question of his love for the two women of his life.

Her mother smiled, and she told Hermione, "Your father was warm and sensual with me behind close doors, very passionate and he loved me very much. You are old enough to tell you, we lived a life of intense sensual life of strong emotions, only for each other. He taught me to love myself and my body. I hope you will find someone who loves you so. He was just insecure and jealous, and not at ease with magic. I wish…" and she cried.

_Everyone cries_ thought Hermione, a little angry. And her mother said the most unexpected thing.

"I think something is wrong with me. I am a fallen woman, and I think that I am able to deeply love more than one man. Maybe I already had," and she ran away from the room…

She came back from her revelry and looked at Lucius while she walked towards the grave. _Lucius looks so broke, no wonder_, she thought, _Draco is but a tormented shadow, for all his former bravado, he was weak, aren't we all?_' She stopped her train of thought**_; _**_No Draco is the best of us all, he is strong not weak. He forgets his pain and smiles instead, not like I do._

Distracted by her thoughts, she failed to control Bijoux; the fearsome Westie female, was part of her grandmother's inheritance.

Her grandmother had been the last of her family, and now, she, Hermione and her mom owned property in Poland, Germany and Austria. The real estate in Germany and Austria, had been confiscated and had been recently returned, including several bank accounts in Switzerland.

Her maternal grandfather had been much older than her grandmother, and he had been a friend of the Grangers. He came from a noble family and was an officer who went to the continent with the Red Cross to assist the war effort. After the war, he had married the young refugee; and brought her and her brother along,. Wars, always wars, this last one, had taken her innocence, her child, her father, and her professor as its victims.

Bijoux, was a terrier and fancied herself a bit larger, not by much, only the size of a Newfoundland, and she was in charge of protection of her witch. While her human pondered away, she had spotted a nefarious adversary. Granted, Bijoux was a creature with a large list of enemies, but her rules were simple, and she was a dog. The small dog pulled hard, and nearly pulled her witch's shoulder off the socket, in pursue of the enemy.

In one swift motion, Bijoux yanked free and lunged towards her prey. Next thing, she had caught the bottom of Lucius coat between her sharp teeth while she emitted a series of vicious growls and snarls, "GRRRRRRRR." If it had not been her dog, she would have laughed. It was rather hilarious. A second later, she was trying to get the cane that Lucius had raised.

Bijoux did not like strangers in desolate places, and the stupid cane set her off. She intensely disliked canes, crutches, umbrellas, you got it, sticks. She wasn't a dog for the disabled that were for sure.

Hermione, who had fought and won against Death Eaters, was caught with her wand down by this unexpected act of aggression, ehem, "a needed act of protection," retorted Bijoux.

At once, the small-scale altercate, started by courtesy of Bijoux, aka BAD-GIRL, quickly escalated into a brawl with a former Death Eater. Lucius turned around in anger, and as he pulled the wand out the cane ready to hex the wolverine, or was it a large white rat, he dared her, at wand point, to try to once again. He would zap her if the white monster sunk, again, her teeth into the fine leather of his expensive cloak.

"Let go right now, I say, DAMN RAT, LET GO, I say, you, you, vicious mongrel." He exclaimed as his porcelain complexion changed to purple, in anger. He shook his cloak with the intent to pry her away while he pushed her, extra-gently, with his expensive, handmade, ostrich-leather-and-dragon-hide, leather boots.

"OK, mister," the BAD-GIRL said, "I will let go of the cloak," and Bijoux ferociously snapped her sharp canines into a well placed natural indentation in the leather boot, and bingo, she made a connection.

"Darn, this is a mighty tasty raw hide," the small beast growled. One yummy piece of the extra softened hide was right between her sharp teeth; she pulled with all her strength, and, yes, she had gotten herself one small piece for her troubles.

"Bad, Bad Girl, nasty terror-ier [sic], come here now, let it go right now, I am telling you, obey." Hermione unsuccessfully pleaded with the stubborn terrier in full battle fervor. And as many times before, her witch's training didn't kick in.

Bijoux growled and snarled once more; and Hermione became aware of Lucius wand directed towards her sweet poppet. "Get real Malfoy, you better don't hex a defenseless unprovoked sweet girl." Hermione had the guts to side with the obviously misbehaving canine.

"You killer, you dare to hex my baby, and I will kill you" she talked extremely fast, "You monster, your murderer, you provoked her by carrying that cane. It is your all fault for looking so, so—" She could not find the words, so beautiful? So delicious?..And, yet scary…

**Laughter and Healing**

Hermione yelled irrationally as she made a move to grab her sweet- defenseless-tiny white- shark. Hermione still hadn't learned you have to handle an enraged dog, with some care, but she was going to learn, fast. No sooner than her hands went around Bijoux, snarl, grab, bite; and the sweet baby let Mum have a taste of her own, a real nasty and sharp bite, "OW! Ouch, you, you are very Bad Girl!" Yes, the sweet girl had drawn blood, and had a smile on her face.

She let go of the bad girl, after receiving a painful nip or two on her wrist and her finger, in the midst of the frenzied attack. The girl in question stopped right away, aware she was in real deep trouble; it was a fine time to pretend that she was good girl.

Then as in silent movie, Hermione lost her balance, and on her bum she fell. Upon falling, she bellowed expressions worthy of a drunken soldiers' brawl, most definitely not appropriate for the silent company of the fallen, and none described a sweet girl.

At this Lucius, was pleasantly surprised to see that his dream witch, his destined was the owner of the small badger. Furthermore, she had fallen on right on her bum and had been properly punished for her bad temper by none other than the little white terror.

Lucius found the absurd situation too hilarious, and allowed a deep belly laugh to escape his lips. All at once it gathered momentum and the volume rose becoming louder and louder. Years of suffering, of angst, of being in pain, were melting away, evaporating and going up in the air, maybe coming to an end, thanks to a nasty ball of fur.

Hermione sat on the ground, with her slender long legs widely splayed, flat on her bum, her chocolate colored hair messy all around her face, and she looked rather furious licking her wrist and her fingers, she wasn't happy, and that was quite obvious to Lucius who watched her with marked interest.

He hadn't offered her help and instead towered over her trying to hold his laughter without any success.

"It figures, the Muggle princess' white monster, is not better behaved that the owner" And who is the poor good girl now?" Lucius voice had a hint of playfulness as he taunted Hermione, in the midst of the boisterous noise. His face was losing the darkness and sadness that never seemed to leave him. He was being foolish and wanted to stop being nasty, and what he really wanted was to fall down on his knees and cover her with kisses, everywhere.

However, he also enjoyed the heated and angry witch's looks, the fallen hood, and he thought that he hadn't seen such a sexy woman ever before.

His laugh was so contagious that Hermione visage changed from a scowl and a grimace into one of pure joy; and soon thereafter, she allowed her sorrow to morph into a fit of uncontrolled laughter.

***``~~~``*o*``~~~``*o**

A/N Things are looking up...yes, Lucius is rather yummy. I do love animals, particularly dogs. I try to insert them in all the stories, same goes for children. And I do believe in the power of laughter.


	9. A Biting Cupid - The Couple

**Warning:** The following chapter contains scenes intended for more mature readers, and are considered of a more adult nature. There are love scenes, so make sure you are over 17, and that I have warned you. Even if some of you want to read it, and trust me, I fully understand the allure to read the chapter,it is not worth if it will make you upset.

- Last time our pair walked towards Severus' grave. Both were immersed in their memories of the past. Lucius has changed in more ways than one, but all his life he has thought himself as superior, and such radical behavior modification, of believes so deeply ingrained are difficult to eradicate completely.

Alas, he is human, and we humans don't learn very well. More than likely, he will compartmentalize his love for Hermione, and will never see her as an inferior. Regardless, he has never seen her as a Mudblood; he simply thinks his kind is the best. Expecting a red bird turn into a yellow bird is unrealistic, and this is the case with Lucius. He is, however, no longer advocating using violence in order to force his believes unto others, and he will learn to respect others. He already has.

* * *

**The Biting Cupid of Sorts**

"You killer, you hex my baby, and I will kill you" she talked extremely fast, "You monster, your murderer, you provoked her carrying that cane. It is your all fault for looking so, so—" Unfortunately, she could not find the words; after all, he did look fantastic, and yet, scary.

Hermione yelled irrationally as she made a move to grab her sweet- defenseless-tiny white- shark. And snarl, grab, bite; and the sweet baby let Mum have a taste of her sharp bite, "OW! Ouch, you, you are a Bad Girl!" Yes, the sweet girl had drawn blood and had a smile on her face.

She let go of the bad girl, after receiving a painful nip or two on her wrist, and a sizeable one in two of her fingers, whilst in the midst of the frenzied attack. The girl in question stopped right away, aware she was in real deep trouble; and decided that it was a brilliant time to pretend and to be a good girl.

Then as in a silent movie, Hermione lost her balance, and on her bum she fell. The expressions coming out her mouth, were worthy of a drunken soldiers' brawl, most certainly not appropriate for the silent company of the fallen heroes.

Looking at the fallen, angered witch, Lucius was pleasantly surprised at discovering that his dream witch, his destined was the owner of the small white badger.

Furthermore, it was brilliant to see her properly punished for her poor temper, by none other than the little white terror. Lucius, finding the absurd situation incredibly hilarious, started laughing; in seconds, the laughter gathered momentum and turned into a deep and loud belly laugh. Years of suffering, of angst, of being in pain, were melting away, each of his woes just going up in the air, maybe coming to an end, thanks to a nasty ball of fur.

Hermione was flat on her bum on the plush grass, with her slender long legs widely splayed, her chocolate colored hair messy all around her face, and she looked rather upset while licking, and sucking her wrist and her fingers. No, she wasn't happy, and that was quite obvious to Lucius, whose eyes watched her with growing interest.

He hadn't offered her help and instead towered over her, feasting his eyes, and trying to hold his laughter, shaking his belly, without any success.

"It figures, the Muggle princess' white monster, is not better behaved that the owner" And who is the poor good girl now?" Lucius voice had a hint of playfulness as he taunted Hermione, in the midst of the boisterous laughter.

His face was losing the darkness and sadness which had become part of him. He was being foolish and wanted to stop being nasty. However, what he truly wanted was to fall on his knees and cover her with kisses, everywhere. He wanted to start loving her.

Of course, he also enjoyed the heated and angry witch's looks, the fallen hood, the wild locks, and he thought that he hadn't seen such a sexy female ever before, and his body clamored for her.

She was too adorable. He found that the portrait of the fallen lady and her not-sincerely-repentant, biting minion were priceless; and her punishment fitting her crime, and this finding made him break into a giant guffaw.

His laugh was quite contagious. Hermione whose visage changed from a scowl and a grimace into one of pure joy and she allowed her sorrow to melt into a fit of uncontrollable guffaws.

Lucius lowered himself to the ground and sat on the grass next to her; as they continued to look at each other, their eyes jumping from the torn coat, the slightly bleeding bite marks, the scratched, err, torn boot, and the naughty little dog seemingly all forlorn and their laughter rose to a crescendo.

They were no longer aware of the sacred surroundings, and the laughter tide kept washing over the rocky beach of their sorrow, and each wave was carrying back into the oblivion oceans chunk of their pain; thus, each peal of laughter worked to heal their injured hearts by removing the pain.

The instigator of the current debacle sat by them and stared at her witch mighty confused. Was she in trouble or were they having fun? Never mind, being an assertive dog who knew how to manage her pets, gave herself some valuable advice, "Missy, don't look at the forgiving horse in the mouth".

So it was that Bijoux pulled out another worthy feat and decided to join the celebration. After all, her sweetie, her honey, her darling witch, was laughing for the first time since she came to live with her, and it sounded mighty impressive.

"Ehaaa, WOOF," Bijoux ran in cracker dog circles while yipping and yapping.

Severus, unseen to the humans, elegantly sat at the bench and sourly said, "Blond idiot, no respect for the dear departed, or the ones hanging out here all forgotten. As we wait for the dunderhead rescuers. Ha, wait till he sees all the white hairs that will surely find a way into his gazillion galleons threads." And at that, he joined the infectious laughter.

Not sure how it happened, but Hermione's head found a pillow in his lap while his hand seemed to have found a job, running through her, no longer bushy and now, soft curly hair.

The realization came to both, at the same nanosecond, and their laughter was replaced with a comfortable silence. The laughter had already served its purpose, as an ice breaker, to wash all sorrows, and brought an injection of joy and happiness, to replenish the depleted wells of their souls.

The cold morning sun was rising higher, and it shone in all the plates of the graves of the fallen making them glow dissipating the remaining shadows. Although, the place was festive with flowers ready for the parade of visitor, it was still quite early for the first guests to arrive.

The only sounds were the pants of the naughty dog, and the rustle made by the leaves of the trees as the wind went through them. The sun cut some of the nasty chill, or at least it felt that way. Hermione conjured a bowl of water and a biscuit for the princess.

Once the laughter had died, the feeling of peace and homecoming was all around them.

He reclined his back on the side of the bench, and continued caressing her head. If anyone had ventured upon them, he/she would think they were old lovers coming to pay their respects and visit with all friends.

Lucius had finally reached a final decision, one he should have many years before. He never would let her go, not ever again. He would make some story, and he had decided to kidnap her if it needed to be. She was his now and couldn't care about the consequences. Let them all try, none would succeed. His shoulders relaxed, even further, and he finally felt inner peace.

Bijoux lay right next to Lucius, sharing the long coat and stretching her chin over the yummy smelling leather. What a handsome, lovely human, he was.

Meanwhile, Severus stretched on the bench enjoying the company of his old friend and his favorite student. He pondered on how to remind Lucius of the old witch they met years ago; because, he was certain that the day forecasted long ago, was today. He concentrated on the thought, and was confident that he would reach each either of them, soon.

Hermione stretched her hand, opened her backpack and pulled a fold up a pillow and passed it to Lucius. He promptly put it behind his head as he lowered his body to the ground. The wind has stopped blowing all together, and the gentle sun had warmed up the chilled air.

The weary visitors, who have come to visit an old friend, fell into an untroubled sleep for an hour or so. A thought of the day in Helsinki, tried to break to the surface of Lucius' mind, a wolf and the girl, too tired, later.

In their sleep, Hermione crawled up and laid her head on his shoulder and Lucius pulled the young witch tight into his arms. The feel of her soft breasts pressing into to him and her warm breath on his neck made him feel as he had come home.

They had a dream they both shared and later discussed.

_In their dreams, they are surrounded by dead and live friends. They are attending an outing by an apple orchard, and in each dream they see each other, they are both dressed in light linen robes and short khakis. Over a table, covered with a festive tablecloth, there is a large lemonade pitcher and a tray full of biscuits. _

_The witch is obviously pregnant, with a unusually round belly, and laughter of children is all around them. A young white-blond haired boy, of around four or five years, is playing with two dogs, and Draco sits on the grass near him. _

_Draco looks younger, happy and carefree, and the boy comes and kisses him once in a while and Draco tickles him. They are happy with each other. And she sees Draco in his back he is carrying a toddler, a girl by the clothes, a girl with dark curls. _

_The witch and Lucius are holding hands, and Severus has not one, but two exceedingly bald babies, sitting on each of his legs. He is bouncing them, when he apparently feels a gentle hand touching his head, which neither of them can see the face that goes with the hand. He grabs the hand and kisses it. They have never seen him that happy._

_They see others sitting around, one is strangely dressed Ginny standing next one to a tall and think handsome wizard, Dolohov? What a bizarre dream!_

A strident loud bark woke up the sleepers, and then silence. Probably a bird or a sound out of place.

Neither Lucius nor Hermione seemed to know where they were, for a short instance the were in between sleep and awake. Her heart beat fast and loud; she was terribly scared; it had been a common occurrance since that year living on the run.

She turned real red when she became aware of Lucius close embrace, but did not move. Somehow, he had pulled a large cashmere wrap that she had reduced in her rucksack, and had covered them, which afforded them a small degree of privacy. This area was the farthest from the entrance and pretty much surrounded by a shrubbery wall.

She felt an intense hunger for human warmth; the last years have been one of strange painful discoveries; of much personal loss, and perhaps of material gain.

She still did not know what happened to her mother and hoped she was alive. Maybe, she had amnesia, she had hired private investigators.

She had to bury Crosshanks all alone because Harry was too busy with his new love, and Ron still could not stand to look at her straight on the eye.

_Memories of her puppy love and of her handsome Dark wizard came flooding her mind. So much had happened since that day at the bookstore; she no longer believed there was light or dark magic. She had figured out that many times we fight for what is wrong; that there were some truly dreadful people and that we all were a product of our education in the most part._

_Her Dumbledore hero worship period had been just a phase. His zealot behavior had cost many deaths, and although his intentions were good, he wanted his will to be done._

_During a couple of her time travels, she had seen that Tom Riddle had lived some good periods during his life. She had often wondered, what if Tom had been afforded a good, powerful influence. Perhaps, if he had found somebody to love, would his life turned out the way that it did? She had often wanted to kill him to prevent later events; but who was to say, perhaps he would have been replaced by someone even worse._

Now she was nearly awake, his warmth stopped her thinking. She found that she had slid down during their sleep. One of her arms was across his waist, and her body lay partly sideways, and was well under the large wrap, where she burrowed for warmth. He had moved her head closer to him, and obviously she had moved down to find a more comfortable spot, and found herself directly facing his crotch.

Although, her proximity has aroused his body, he was still in the land between sleep and awake. He was back at Helsinki, and the words of the witch had risen to the surface, scratching, and attempting to break through the crust of forgetfulness; just about ready to be remembered.

Hermione was awake for all purposes, and darn, her nose was mighty close to a well defined, sizeable object, _it is not his wand, _hmm,' she breathed him in.

She could smell his fragrance. It was a combination of man, of delicious cologne, one that reminded her of forests, streams, and dark musky places. She could have bottled it to spray on her pillow, and maybe be able to get a good night sleep. She was tempted to nozzle his hardness with her nose, and decidedly unlike her, she did just that.

_What are you thinking? Are you going Gaga_? She admonished herself but did not stop and added small bites and kisses over the cloth. She could hear him; his breath caught, and she felt his hands rubbing her back sensuously; he was encouraging her to keep going. His musky smell was making her faint with lust. This was unusual, she never felt lust, nor before nor after being with Draco, and she thought herself a cold fish. All her feelings, since Blotts, had been for the blond Dark wizard, always.

His brain was addled in a haze of lust and desire. He was moaning softly, he had his dream right by him. He couldn't think anymore. During his sleep, he had become totally aroused.

He bent downwards, and his hand found her breast, so soft so, perfect. He hoped this wasn't another dream.

She wasn't sure of what was driving her; it felt as if a flood gate had opened; one drop lead to the next one, and the flow could not longer be contained, it was turning into a flood.

She was emboldened by his moans and heard a small rumbling sound; it came from his stomach depths and went up this throat. His hips had risen from the ground seeking closeness, thrusting and moving them.

She heard him chanting softly, "My sweet love, do whatever you wish, I am yours," he caressed her head, her neck, her shoulders stopped, lightly touched her breast, and did it all again.

His hand slid under her jumper and found her breast encased in lace, his fingers slid and held her nipple, making her whimper, and his hips thrust once again.

He brought his thumb to her mouth; promptly, she let her tongue go around, and sucked it as if it were a lollypop. The symbolism was not lost in either of them So, she reached her left hand to his mouth, and he licked it all around, and this fuelled the fire roaring in her groin. She ached, and wondered if she were cramping, and when hard spasms made her legs jump and her bum tighten, she thought it might be an orgasm. _Oh, gods, this is how it felt_. She wasn't right, it was simply the beginning of feeling pleasure.

Mewling sounds and little noises were pouring out her lips. His right hand came down, and he was trying to open up his trouser's fastener. The buckle was already open, perhaps while she was sleeping. He worked at opening the buttons, and her fingers worked right along with his. She was desperate to touch him, to feel him.

A stab of lucidity an alarm invaded her mind, and she said "Not here, what if someone comes?"

His voice came to her from someplace faraway: "Don't worry my darling, we are safely concealed, and the wild lassie is properly restrained and out as a light. Don't stop, please. I've waited for you a life time. I will conceal us; please don't stop because I will die if you do. Touch it—feel my need, please." He casted a concealment charm, or better, he might have, he was already too far gone to know exactly.

And in a hoarse whisper, he pleaded, "Please touch me; help me out, fast. I need you."

She reached further, and at first, she only felt his coarser curls, and then felt the heat coming from him. His hand closed over hers and placed on top of his cock while he just lay there, waiting.

He held his breath for a second, and then she could hear that strange sound, it reminded her of Crookshanks.

His skin was hot, his aroused hardness throbbed, making his hips push into her hand… the tip was wet, dripping, and this made her wish 'it' inside her mouth; thus, she reached with her tongue and touched it, lightly. He bit his lips, her tongue was heaven.

"You are purring, naughty boy, you are a big cat." And for a second they both laughed, only for a second. Because she touched the tip and pulled herself up to it, then she reached it with her tongue and her lips, and the hard push upwards, practically bounced her head up and down.

The heat and longing felt in her groin had her wondering, maybe something was wrong with her, but quickly dismissed the idea.

She wanted to know his taste if he were to come inside her mouth, and her lips closed around his cock. She wasn't sure what she had done while she was drunk, but was nearly certain, this hadn't been a part of her practices; it never sounded as something she wished to do, until now.

When her lips closed around him, she opened herself to the pleasure. It all became about feelings and sensations; she wanted more of Lucius and tried to pull his trousers further down; feeling him in her mouth wasn't enough; she needed more, to be against his bare skin, more; it was the same for him, he wanted to kiss her and pulled up in his elbows.

All Lucius senses seemed to be enhanced, each touch, each caress felt magnified, her scent and warmth enveloped him, her sounds were all he could hear, he was immersed in a Hermione cloud, but he had not actually tasted her, and he wanted to do that, as well.

"First, kiss me. Hermione my love let me kiss you. Your lips, first, let me kiss you, I need to taste you." His voice was raspy as if he seemed to have a hard time speaking, and his tone went straight through her.

He had called her my love at least twice, could it be? Maybe sex talking? Perhaps, he felt about her the same way he always had been the one?

They kissed, but Lucius wasn't concentrating, it felt forced; he was bent in an awkward angle while she played with him with her hand; their breathing urgent, and his desire cursing through him as if he had fire running through his veins, and he wanted more.

He was contorting his body, also trying to touch her, and he was no longer kissing, instead contorting trying to do something, until he talked into her mouth, "Damn it woman, what are you wearing?"

She chuckled, and he did, as well. He was actually enjoying this, thoroughly enjoying it as if they were playing a game; yes, it was an exciting game where the stakes were more pleasure. Their movements were fluid, and no longer awkward; their bodies anticipated the other's moves as if they had done this before.

She had a pair of long lederhosen, Austrian leather pants, with traditional closures made out long strips of soft goat leather, and she carried a virtual arsenal of Muggle weapons in each pocket; and around the waist, a wide belt with silver plates and a holster where she carried a gun.

"Damn, are you planning to kill someone today," he teased her after nicking a finger on a star of some type, a ninja star.

"Only those who don't behave," she answered and ran her fingers along his hardened cock, which made him hiss.

He remembered something and waved his hand. Next minute their bottoms were off, her bra was off, and shirts and jumpers rolled up. he figured out a faster way to dress, in case they were suprised.

They closed their eyes; they were too aware of their partially nude bodies, and a bit shy, both wondered if this were the right thing to do.

Instead of saying anything, he pulled her up near his face, and held her close to him, their naked hips touching and partially naked torsos touching. She felt the rougher texture of his legs with the coarser hair, and both moaned, reveling on each other's differences. His hardness was against her belly, making her crazed with desire, for his cock inside of hers. Her body shuddered, a shiver ran up her back, and made her shake intensely.

"Are you cold, another blanket?" He asked.

"Nah," was her answer."You, I want you."

He couldn't stop, no more questions, his mouth was upon hers, "Don't ask me to stop, I waited for this all my life." He wasn't lying; he had been waiting for several years since she was a babe.

His hands were all over breasts, his fingers around her aroused nipples made him cry in satisfaction, "My witch, my Hermione. I waited for forever, forever," and his body pressed against hers.

She answered, "I know since I was a baby, as long as I have," it sounded right to her; at her answer he kissed her with infinite hunger.

"Yes… always, touch me… you… "He pleaded.

Obeying him, she ran her hand along his hard cock, her fingers grazing each surface, and he hissed, "Stop, don't touch—too much." His voice came out strangled, hard to understand. He was no longer entirely sure if this were real or a dream; his mind was drunk and addled by the desire and lust.

"Come here, let me touch… there, come." He brought his face close to hers and pressed his hips closer to hers, positioning between her thighs.

He kissed her not too gently. Their teeth gnashed their tongues and fought a war of sloppy, wet kisses, runaway passions, whilst his hand went down, searching until it was between her thighs, and slowly moved it, closer to his desire.

"Hmm, yes, yes,' he mumbled. He loved the sleekness, the warmth, so wet, this was his witch. He found the hard nub, "Yes, love," and lowered his fingers down, finding her channel, one finger then two… rhythmically, she moved, against his hand; his cock was heavy, throbbing; he wanted to be inside her, to feel her sleek muscles cradling him, moving and caressing; losing his entire self in a forest of pleasure.

He didn't have a lot of experience, Narcissa, and his books. He had studied the art of love making and pleasuring your partner before he married. Narcissa had, always described him as a great lover. And he was positive of knowing what to do.

He knew in theory and practice, but actually feeling, he never felt this before. He could feel her moist entrance, he was right by it. The heat beckoned him, a siren's call, and if he pressed harder, he would be inside her.

First, he wanted to kiss her sex, to taste her. The idea made him thrust against her, but didn't want to give her a moment to think. He had already felt her reluctance. It, it called him in. His hips thrust hard, and he was no longer in charge," Love, I want you—to feel good." Half sentences, words drenched in passion, in love.

He flipped her over. Yes, he needed to be above her, and she moved with him. Better, this was much better.

He only was able to think of her heat; of how it would feel coming in and out of her, oh gods. He was near her warm entrance, and Merlin, he needed to be inside, to touch her, too many years of erotic dreams, tumbling into his memory.

His leg nudged her legs to open further. His touch had warned him that she was rather narrow, and momentarily, he wondered if he would fit. He reached for her thigh, placed her leg over his and found his way by placing his fingers by her entrance.

She was no longer kissing, and her mouth against his but not kissing. She arched her hips, just waiting and keening. "Yes, yes, it is ok, I need you too."

And breathing his breath, she stretched her hand down and guided him in. Both of them made an unrecognizable sound at first contact.

All was jumbled after that moment; she finally felt something for the first time in her entire life. After that night at the Manor, she had been searching for this. He was large, she guessed, and it was unpleasant but not for long. He filled her with an ache that was pure pleasure.

First time she was this wet, "This is how passion feels," she whispered in awe as her body started shaking and her muscles spasm around him.

He arched his back at the sensation. "My love, yes, yes." And he stopped moving. He was truly afraid of being in a dream, of if he were not dreaming that she would pull away from him. "Hermione, my sweet love, you are my heaven. I am not sure what I am feeling. Stay here, don't pull away."

He held his weight on his elbows and bent. He wanted to remember this moment, he hunkered down to look, wanting to see where they were joined because he needed to make sure it was real. At the view, he made a choked sound.

"Oh gods it is beautiful, my body joined with you. My cock inside of you," he shuddered and closed his eyes. He forced them open, he must look, more.

He heard her voice from far away. It sounded different, intimate, husky, "Please tell me about it, what do you see?" She was curious, and as usual wanted answers.

"Thick, I am thick and hard. You are dark pink maybe light purple, wet, glistening, puffy lips— Just beautiful." He told her, etween deep shaky sighs and moans.

"What is?" She asked again.

"Us, my flesh inside of yours, it is beautiful. How it feels?" Never vocal, but he wanted to hear her trying to talk. It made him ache to hear her voice broken by the passion felt, oh gods.

"Full, achy pain, good, oh my god, I want you deeper inside, more." Her hand stretched and cupped him, he hissed with the sensation.

"No touch, too much," His hand pulled her away, to his chest, and her fingers closed on his nipples rubbing pinching, and made him thrust even harder.

So warm and wet, oh lord, it was never been like this, "My name, say my name." His eyes were moist, so happy, but he needed to know if she knew whom he was.

"Lucius," she whispered, she was also crying, "My Lucius."

" My love," he answered, "my little love, my Hermione, I love you, I love you. All my life I have been waiting you, for this. Tell me that you like I, and wish for me to be here with you.'

"I do, I do." Both voices were full of urgency as they moved in unison, their hands and their mouths busy with each to other, their legs wrapped around one another, increasing contact.

They both thought the same, so beautiful, and fleetingly remembered the pain and the sadness, and they were aware of the past being exorcized right at that instance.

He fell upon her, just holding enough of his weight off her, he wanted maximum contact, he thrust in and out, not gently, not softly, a little too hard. His neck was arched back, his eyes closed; both were consumed in the act, just feeling.

"Oh spirits of time, what is this? This was much better than he ever had imagined because he was inside of her. For a moment, again, he thought he might be too large and hurting her. He hesitated and wasn't certain because he had tried to be all the way in, but she was quite tight. He wanted more.

"Darling, open the legs a little more; I desire the same things that you do. I don't want to hurt you, open."

"Do you like it?" She asked.

"Love, I am dying so much pleasure, open, I want to have you all around me, more, more. My body to become trapped inside yours, forever."

His hands touched her face, and he kissed her mouth, finding her lips so, so, and so, darned sweet. A vision that he had that day in Helsinki invaded his senses. The woman he had imagined all these years, the one under him was she, his Hermione.

He felt her nipples hard against his chest, and was also aware of her shorter and nimble legs as her feet pressed against his bum; apparently, in an attempt to get even closer.

She was a soft as he had imagined, her face transformed by lust, her wet, warm channel, a perfect glove, a vise, a very tight one. He had seen this day before and with the imparted knowledge, his body went stiff, and the orgasm came too soon. It traveled through him too fast, the pain along the spine grabbed his bollocks burning up his length, and his entire soul came with him.

For the first time in her life she felt real pleasure, her toes curled, her body arched, her bum lifted of the ground seeking more closeness, as the walls of her channel first ached, and ached, small flutter, and then clenched, hard spasms, shaking lower body, making her back arch, and her core enclosed his cock even tighter, increasing the pressur and friction, even more.

The spasms travelled up the length of his body as he came. He spilled inside her, _inside her,_ he couldn't believe this; his bum clenched, his mouth closed on hers, a desperate kiss, but not focused; his eyes filled with tears and was ashamed of crying. And a second wave took him by surprise, a second dry orgasm. He groaned, it was too much, he was dying and happy to do so. Her fingers dug in his bum, and he faded out.

Severus was amazed at what he was seeing. Their bodies coming together were a thing of beauty. Both were such beautiful beings that if anyone had seen them, they could have died from lust.

They had danced the most sensual and emotional dance he would ever witness. To his eyes there was no concealment or silencing charms and no blanket. It made him wish to be human. But that was not what had his attention, but instead, the dark vapors pouring out the bodies of the entangled couple, specially out Lucius. And seconds later, their dark color turned lighter and lighter until they were a rainbow of colors traveling in waves around the couple, it seemed as clear cover, almost a fabric, what was it? This was when Severus felt a chill along his back.

A chill, he had not felt anything in ages. Something was calling, W_ait I want to see more; wait, I want to see the end; I want to see what is that cover over them; what are they saying to each othe_r, "Wait," Snape screamed, not a chance.

As their bodies calmed down, they turned inwards, both were shy and in awe. Their hearts felt a lot lighter, but surely, they needed to get up.

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A/N I hope those who like Lumione scenes, have forgiven me by the time they finish this chapter. If this is taken out I will publish it in a different site.


	10. The Prophecy

**Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters, locations, and other recognizable places and people, are Ms. J.K.R.'s.**

I don't have a beta for all my stories, and I do the best I can. I do make mistakes, I am human.

This is the best I can offer for now, and hope it is well enough for most of you._ Ok, with that out of the way..._

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Last time we left our couple at the graveyard.

**The Moments After**

As their bodies calmed down, they turned inwards, both shy and in awe. Their hearts felt a lot lighter, but surely, they needed to get up.

He didn't want to let her go, and wanted to keep her with him forever in his arms, literally. Neither was aware of being wrapped in a cocoon of light filaments, apparently originating somewhere behind Lucius, who had rolled on his back, yet still held her to his chest. His hands couldn't stop caressing her, wanting to memorize her contours.

Hadn't they been outdoors, he could have tried to entice her again. Distractedly, one of his hands wondered too far down, and he touched inside of her upper tight. He had to bite his lip, not to hiss, and was barely able to control his body's reactions. He could apparate to his place, but didn't dare to do so.

She kept trying to get up, and he relented, perhaps it was better, but before letting her go, "This, what just happened, means a lot to me. Please don't regret it." Lucius whispered, pulling her upwards towards to kiss her softly all around her face, "my sweet love, and my little witch." He repeated over and over, between kisses and caresses.

Whereas his desire was burning, once again, he wanted to respect her desire to end the intimacy. He felt defeated at finding it far more difficult than he could have ever imagined.

Nevertheless, he allowed her to sit; then he cleaned them both with his wandless magic and helped her dress while sitting. His movements were tender and loving. Each action was accompanied with a kiss or a caress, and words of endearment.

She had never been treated like this by a wizard, not while, before, or after having sex. He handled her with reverence, love and respect; and it was an altogether new experience and a welcome one. He even braided her hair.

He sat in a semi-lotus position and sat her in the cradle formed by his legs. Once she sat, his hands ran through her hair, "Love, besides weapons and camping gear, do you carry a hairbrush?" He asked her teasingly, and she smiled shyly. After nodding her head, he pulled out a brush from her rucksack, and proceeded to do something he had wished to do, for what it seemed, forever.

As he brushed her, he deposited small kisses on her ears and neck, and his caring made her melt on his hands. She especially liked when he would stop brushing her hair, to hold her from the back into his chest, and would lay his head upon hers.

His heart beat was loud and strong, and she felt safe inside his arms. Hermione's eyes closed, allowing the sensations to envelope her, finding his breathing, soothing and calming; and his desire, which was difficult to disguise, unnerving.

Ever a gentleman, he stood up first and offered his hand to pull her up. His brain was full of emotions; he had arrived to the oasis he had seen shimmering long ago, in an early afternoon, during the desert of his life, at Helsinki.

While she tried to regain her dignity, she pretended to be brushing leaves and twigs from her cape, and Lucius was examining the slightly damaged coat, which now sported a couple of small embellishing cuts, courtesy of a fashion aware Westie, the biting cupid.

He wanted to buy, the valiant pooch, one hundred coats to tear up, but that would be too wasteful, or maybe not. This was his favorite overcoat, a thing of beauty, but would gladly let Bijoux have it. The boot was not damaged since dragon skin was magical, and it had re-stretched to fill the gap; there was no harm done and much had been gained. He would buy Bijoux the best of chew hides.

**Lord Malfoy and Miss Granger**

"Sorry Lord Malfoy, I am rather new to the ownership of canines, and I am more familiar with felines. For an unknown reason, this sweet, rotten girl fancies herself as my personal Auror." She shrugged her shoulders and smiled. He fixed his eyes on her, his eyes twinkling with good humor.

"I feel is my fault; thus I will be pleased to pay for any repairs. I see that your overcoat is made of a special weave, and probably requires a tailor wand to close the now expanding tear. And if the coat cannot be repaired, I will be glad to pay for a new one." She bit her lips quite nervously, and he wanted to kiss them.

"Please don't bother, it isn't necessary, Miss Granger; or is it Lady Granger now?" Lucius knew she had inherited two tittles in the last years from her now deceased grandparents. But why the Miss Granger and the Lord Malfoy, he needed to do something fast, the situation was getting away from him.

He could not tell her a small secret; he was ready to give the coat to the pooch as a reward, maybe he should tell her, but she might think it ostentatious. Why were they being formal, he should not waste this chance. "By the way, the tear gives it character, it tells others that they better watch out because I have a fierce, wild beast as a friend and protector," he concluded gifting her with a radiant smile.

"What brings you here today? I thought you were residing with those insufferable Yanks these days, Draco told me in those rare moments he comes from the dowager house and joins me for dinner. It is not that I mind; au contraire, it is rather fortunate for me." He corrected himself while intently looking at her, drinking her in.

_Lucius you are acting like an imbecile. You should be telling her that you have waited for her all your wretched life; that you finally felt something real, for the first time ever. No, it is too hard to be sensible, and instead you are making small, bane, idle talk; and probably making her upset with your attitude._ He recriminated himself; feeling sick with apprehension, and he was, absolutely, tongue tied.

Hermione still felt his hands helping her, his body on hers, the feel of his passion in his kisses, his touches, and his words. The scent of his cologne and the smell of their sex impregnated her nose. She wanted his arms around her, holding her close, and to be back on the ground, engaged in wild love making, while she listened to his broken words.

It was her fault; she had behaved like an arse, why did she have to call him, Lord Malfoy? She was the one who started the formality. Yeah, and after she had practically attacked him, opened his trousers; and within the hour, she had called him, Lord Malfoy. She was a lost cause.

"Ehem, Ehem" she cleared her throat, what on earth, _what is up with this throat clearing and trembling; get real Hermione, you silly woman_, she chided herself to no avail; because what she truly wanted to do, was to run into his arms, to hold on to him, and to be held. But what came out of his mouth, in answer to her presence in the grave yard, was appalling.

"Hmm, Hmm, I came to visit my friends. The ones your old mates murdered in these grounds." She said haughtily, totally forgetting that only a handful had stood by Voldemort's side, once the battle started. Yes, her mind and her anger were playing selective tricks with her memory.

_There you go, pompous ass, _she thought. She also had forgotten the wild shagging just minutes before, why was she acting like this? She wanted to admonish her stupid persona. She wanted his arms around her, and instead she was behaving like a nincompoop, a fool; she needed some help.

He raised his eyebrow, while he slightly pouted, twisting his mouth in recrimination, "Dear girl, I resent that remark if you remember we fought together against the same enemy," and saying that he bent to pet the traitor pooch whose aim was to climb his leg and be picked up._ Tell her, tell her, damn it. Bollocks, bloody hell, what was wrong with me_? He mused.

Lucius desperately wanted to change the direction of this disastrous conversation. He wished to a modicum of humbleness, and to able to apologize, and, perhaps, he would be able to tell her of his feelings for her.

_Sir, I am seeking for a couple of pats, a scratch behind the ears and a little attention would be mightily appreciated it_, Bijoux asked with her eyes. The poor, miserable Westie knew that humans could dispense treats on demand with the short stick they carried on their pocket; and she was a little hungry.

The white dog nudged a pocket with her nose and licked his face. If she could it, she would get her own treats. She remembered trying to shake some treats out Mr. Draco's stick; and all she got was a reprimand. She had, accidentally, shook it to pieces, and the pieces were not particularly tasty, they were just pieces of wood, and there were some nasty tough strings. And there weren't any treats hidden inside.

Lucius, sad, dejected, and depressed but always ready to be lucky tried his hand, "Dear Miss Granger, or is it Lady Granger, you still did not say, I am planning to go and have tea after this visit, should we meet here, and go wherever you would like to go; hmm, whenever you are ready?" Lucius pressured, "I frankly could use your lovely company after being in this dreary place."

While he waited for an answer, he opened his cane, took out his wand, and conjured a couple of small dog biscuits, much to Bijoux's delight. It gave Lucius something to do in the meant time, while he waited for her answer.

Hermione was nearly speechless, if she were 12 to 14, he would have fulfilled one of her biggest dreams. She crushed on him for two long plus years. It started when her mother, not her father, agreed with her that he looked like an angel, a sexy one her mom laughed as they were leaving Diagon Alley talking about their day there. He reminded her of the Man-Doll, the one from her parent's stories.

And later, her mother's cryptic little comments of a haughty man who forgot old acquaintances and her father, "Let it go, we have better manners than him. If you remember well, I thought he was a child snatcher…and to imagine that it was true that he was going to have a son. Comes to show that father's instincts are not always right." She didn't understand his words, not until her mother had recently explained them.

This got her thinking about how she had felt about him, since the first time that she saw him at the book store, Flourish and Blots. Afterwards, all her notebooks and scrolls were embellished with tiny hearts crossed by mean arrows; L loves H, was written below them.

She wrote little poems, and could see herself as a bride riding a Unicorn, gag, while her beloved waited for her, barefooted and wearing muslin white shirt, black velvet britches, and barefoot. She had plenty of drawings showing just that, double gag. He also wore a little crown of flowers, and a wreath around his neck, and instead of a belt, he wore, yup, flowers, the flower queen, she laughed.

Her teenaged dreams ended in a big kiss, not daring to wish for more. If her teenaged self could have peeked at what Lucius could do, shit, she wanted him again.

**It must be Love**

"So Hermione, may I call you Hermione, you should call me Lucius. And could I tempt you with an exceptionally subtle blend of white tea, and maybe with my stodgy old company. I would be pleased for the opportunity to be with you, and further admire your beauty."His voice was lower, caressing, and clearly reflected, the desire flowing again in his veins.

He needed her now, his body was already waiting; the first time had not even started to quench his thirst. He could feel her hard nipples rubbing his chest, the vise of her orgasm crushing him; his thrusts making his body tight with pleasure, the pink and lilac hues of her sex swollen with arousal; his eyes could see his cock glistening with her releases … and his back arched and his cock pulsed with need. _Soon I will be moaning, gods; I must have the witch. _

He stood against the sunlight, holding Bijoux, man and beast, in the middle of the grave yard; they appeared as carved statues; moreover, to her, he was just beautiful with his blond hair a bit mussed, his eyes full of love, and his body held in expectation. She just wanted to be in his arms. It was crazy, but she could have sworn that he had always looked at her in a special way. She wanted him again and wanted to show him that she did.

"Ok, I guess so. I think I would like that terribly much, and perhaps, hmm, you could think of other_ activities _to keep us busy." Hermione finally responded interrupting her own deliberation, if not, she would have run and held on to him; wrapped her legs around his waist… and suddenly realizing what she had just said, her skin turned scarlet red.

Her words went straight to his prick. Oh yes, he could think of many activities to keep them busy, for a lifetime or two; and his eyebrows shut up, in surprise and delight.

"Lucius, would you let me talk to the Professor first? I just need to walk a few steps away and pick up the plant I brought yesterday; I will be back in a bit." She talked hurriedly, in an attempt to make him forget what she had said. She had essentially told him that she was ready for more.

A little upset at herself, she decided Bijoux should accompany her, so Lucius set her on the ground. After unsuccessfully trying to cajole the willful dog to follow her, the terrier refused to listen, and Hermione finally gave up.

The white terrier sat on the bench by the professor's resting place, not on the bench, correction, back in Lucius' lap while he absently patted and scratched her. The act of defiance made Hermione unhappy, and a little jealous, the nerve, Bijoux was her dog. Impulsively, she decided to renew her efforts and force the dog to with her.

"Bijoux don't be a naughty girl, come with me right now. I mean it." Hermione tapped her foot in impatience.

Bijoux looked the other way ignoring her human, _get me on your way back, I am taking a break. It was the clear message of the_ naughty girl, who dared to glare at the witch; she liked this human better, the lap was more cushioned, and he was feeding her snacks.

"She is a good smart girl and knows who likes her best, not like some witches who cannot tell what is good for them." Lucius stopped his runaway mouth before ruined his chances.

"You stupid wizard, watch your tongue," some entity hissed near Lucius' ear, and surprised he looked around, nobody was there.

"Are you referring to m—," Hermione was cut off by a repentant Lucius, "I am sorry dear love. Do forgive me if I offended you, I no longer know how to be around witches."

Hermione thought, _Merlin, he is just eatable when he implores for mercy_.

Saint Hermione, whose heart could not resist the challenge of helping a fellow being, good or evil, her job was to help others, and to assist the alone and the ones in need, decided for her. Okay, that and her increasing desire for him; the vision of her wrapped around him, like a snake on a pole was nearly impossible to resist.

"Ok, Lucius, I will be patient but just today. So, my lo—, I mean Lucius, Au Revoir, in a bit" and she walked away towards the new area of the rest place. She walked fast, hoping he hadn't noticed the slip of her tongue, oh, darn, stupid, stupid her.

She could feel a set of eyes burning a hole in her back. If she had been able to turn around she would have seen the sorrow, regret, humor, and a terrible hunger in his eyes.

Lucius took a deep breath and felt a small flutter of hope in the middle of his chest. She had already made love to him, and he accepted that it was not only sex. He had been waiting since Helsinki, he must have been, and of course he had. It was just too hard to remember the years between. Every second they were farther away as if they had never happened. And yes, she nearly had said my love, as if he could not hear.

A flood of memories came as she walked away from him. _He loved_ her, and he always had. _It is stupid and downright wrong; call it what you will, but it is what I have been waiting for over twenty one years_. He concluded.

If he had known sex was like this, he would not have been able to wait. He would have stolen her long before the war; the day she had become of legal age. He wanted to kiss her for hours. He wanted to trace each inch of her body with his lips. He wanted to fill her up with his seed and have a dozen babes with her.

Once again, his body arched forward consumed with desire. He closed his eyes, and remembered waking up to Hermione, her mouth kissing his hardened cock, how her warm lips had felt as if they were on top of bare skin. Oh, yes, he wanted it again and again.

He wanted to please her, to let her do her bidding, to forget the horror of the past. He was calculating that he could have been with her for close to four years now, and instead, and instead… or maybe more… He was angry with himself, his mind screaming; _you should have run away after abducting her that night at the Prophecy room. Damn, Lucius, that is what your heart told you to do in the first place. Listen to it now, before she leaves forever. _

She wanted to turn around and run away from the place. She didn't want to face him. She couldn't stand to be around him because she feared her own feelings, but she had come all this way to talk to her beloved professor and friend, and instead she had met Lucius.

She froze overcome by the realization, Lucius, the wizard that she had loved since she was a young girl, wasn't an infatuation, it had been love, even if it sounded as madness, it now made perfect sense.

A little hussy, she had fallen in love with him at five months of age. It was too funny. Her mother told her a couple years ago how she had held his large finger onto her face, and how angry she had been at her dad for over one month, for making him put her back in her perambulator; furthermore, baby Hermione, Mimi wouldn't allow her father to touch her or pick her up.

The story she grew up knowing, was a little different; it told of a day in Helsinki when she caught a glimpse of a blond man, who asked to touch her, and her father had told him to go away, and she was forever looking for him.

Her mother had told her for that for years to follow, every time she saw men with light blond hair, she ran to them. She had a little stuffed doll her dotting mother had made for her with white yarn hair. It was the Man-Doll, her name for it; she bit the nose off from putting in her mouth so much, and was missing one eye.

Her Man-Doll, her love, yes, she was afraid that she had given Lucius her heart, right there by Severus' grave. She had truly lost it; she had barely had it, and now it was gone.

**The Prophecy**

"Hermione, wait, you need to hear me," and he put Bijoux on the ground. The white terror must have seen a mouse or something like it, and she started to dig with fury. Not a good idea in the carefully maintained grounds; in that instant an old witch's words flooded his mind.

_"The lioness and the small wolf can conjure peace and draw the giant-snake's poison, away… the joining of a snake and a lioness…their unlike union will invoke sex magic…wake the earth up. The wolf will steal from the ground keepers what is needed…"_

Lucius ran to her and took her hand in his.

He held her hand while he repeated the words, and she stared at him with growing dread, convicted of his madness.

Meanwhile, the master digger had reached an intriguing-smelling something. She was compelled to dig it all out until she heard a screech, the plant was fighting her, and she only wanted a piece for Pete's sake. She loved root vegetables, and fruits such as berries, besides, she wanted it, regardless.

"Tightwad," Bijoux growled, and, the-whatever understood and answered "Not a tightwad, you, nasty wolf, are pulling my hair. Let it go, damn beast."

Bijoux pulled so hard that she rolled backwards, and in between her teeth she held her boon, a white and purple root around five to six inches. It resembled three complexly braided strands of white, purple, and lilac root fibers around one-half inch thick, each.

_It_ had a wiggly finger which came out the ground after Bijoux got her prize; _the finger_ was totally white, no pigment, and out the tip came out stinging hexes on Bijoux's direction. The hexes crackled and lit up in the air, and despite she was stung at least once, the terrier didn't drop the prize; which didn't taste particularly good; she guessed that smelling and tasting might be a little different, sometimes.

Bijoux had a couple of small growths, cysts, in her muzzle since birth; one obstructed her breathing, and when Hermione pulled the root out her mouth, she noticed the cysts were gone. A closer inspection of the ground thief revealed that saw her runny, infected eye was healthy and clear.

The moment Hermione touched the root, she felt a current that traveled along her body; it warmed up her torso and even her womb; and in front of her eyes. Bijoux's yellowing hair took a bright white glow. Her dog had the appearance of a puppy, and not of a dog ten years old.

Lucius had a strange look about him and kept chanting the strange ditty, over and over; and he was watching the scene with keen interest. The prophecy was being enacted, he had deducted. He was the snake, and his love was the Lioness, and the wolf, well, was the little wolf, the miscreant cupid. As for the ground keeper, it must be the owner of the hexing finger.

"Be quiet Lucius." Hermione whispered, and both of them heard somebody knocking inside the earth.

"Severus," both said at the same time and looked at each other with apprehension.

"I put him on stasis. I was desperate because I could not find a way to save him, but he was already gone, at least I think he was." She looked at him waiting for a recrimination, that wasn't forthcoming.

Instead, he pulled out his wand, casted an incantation to order the earth to open and the coffin to come up. Luckily, neither the caretaker nor anyone else for that matter, was nearby and would be able to see them, or so they thought.

"Fuck, somebody get me out, I am dying, help!" The raspy voice was Severus'.

"No, put him back on stasis, he will die, the poison, the neck is totally torn; and I have no potions here." She tried to hold Lucius back, her voice was panicky.

Lucius paid no attention; calmly, he broke a piece from the strange root away from Hermione, and he also felt the same warm feeling all across his torso, his legs, along all the places damaged during the tortures, even his kidneys and his back. And better, a warm feeling inside his heart.

Over a decade or two of his life also melted away, and the black mark was gone, or only a faded stain remained. Some scientists have indicated that aging is a disease, and the magic of the root treated it like so.

With his wand he forced the coffin open, Hermione no longer tried to stop him. He had something going; and, apparently, he knew a secret unknown to her.

"Help me," he demanded her.

Severus lay inside the coffin, the blood gushing away, now that the stasis had been removed; however, he was still alive; what a miracle.

Lucius held the root piece, separated one strand, cut in half, and that half in two halves. The rest, he passed Hermione for safe keeping, and placed one half inside Severus' mouth, and then laid the other piece right over the hideously-large open-wound… He had only taken one piece out of twenty four, not bad for a life saved.

They watched in amazement as the root shrank smaller and smaller, and the blood stopped flowing. The colour was returning to Severus face, his nose, probably broken many times during torture, straightened up. It was still a large nose, but not ugly or deformed. He coughed a couple times.

"Help me out, please," he croaked.

Lucius and Hermione screamed joyfully, at the same time.

"You are as lovely as ever, as your dear mother. We will go and get her later; I know where she is at. In my form, I used to go around and visit her." He paused and looked at Lucius.

"Lucius, the next time, don't be such a randy old man, respect the fallen, this is a graveyard. However, it was a lovely show. Had I been alive, I might have wanted to join. I will keep the memory safely stashed away." He gave them a funny smirk.

Two red faces looked at him, grinning and laughing, it was all they could do.

He stood up, shook his robes, held Lucius' and Hermione's hands, and they went around circles of joy. They were like children celebrating. The old caretaker could not believe what he had witnessed; he had come in the part of Severus being pulled out the coffin. Being a smart man, he kept his mouth quiet, he had been right in his assumptions, the girl and the tall blond were powerful. He turned around and missed them floating above the ground. None of the trio noticed it either, or that they had been watched.

Later, Hermione took the leftover piece of the braided root and carefully wrapped it in a hanky. She was going to let Draco have a little piece, or just to touch it, and save the rest for the emergencies that were sure to come in a lifetime.

The root in the ground took the shape of the middle finger, and came up just enough to be seen. Its meaning was clear; it was saying the f word to the group, and with a particularly grumpy shriek, it went back deep into the ground.

It was neither a root, nor an animal; it was an unusually magical creature, and a little of both, it was male and one of the keepers, part of the Elven domain. Bijoux had pulled one of its braids, yanked it right of its head. It was not worth all the screaming; it did not even hurt, but it had woken him up.

He liked his 'hair,' which he grew it back before covering itself with dirt. Darn, hewas too sleepy to braid it as he liked it done, in a rather tight French braid, with one strand of each root color, and always interchanging a different color strand.

Oh well, a fast braid would have to do. Next and for safety reasons, he moved several meters away, and went back to sleep for another hundred years or so.

_Damn wolves, they loved his perfect scent;_ at the thought he giggled with glee. Alas, if not for them, he would never have dreams. It paid to fuzz to keep them away when he didn't need them. He needed to be allowed to sleep and dream.

He hoped the ones gifted this days, were always as randy as he had seen them in action. Furthermore, he hoped that they would have lots of babies to keep his dreams happy during a long time. That was the way it worked, anyone who benefited from his gift, gifted their lives to him. He would dream their lives, and in the act, he would protect them. And once they passed away or went to the next place, their children would take their places. Time to sleep, so much work, he was tired.

Above him, Bijoux ran around having a fabulous time, the pain in her hind leg was gone. With all the repairs, mummy better watch, she was whole again and no longer fixed. And cats of the world, they better hide, no cat would be safe around her.

Lucius hair seemed to have changed color; or rather it was nearly colorless, resembling clear filaments filtering the light. There had been other physiological changes that soon would be noticed. And more delightful surprises were coming their way. Life had finally taken a good turn for many of them, and this day marked the beginning of a new era.

Severus looked at them and said, "Hermione, there is something you must know, not now, later, I will tell you when Draco is around. First there are things we must do."

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A/N. I would love to hear from you. I hope the ones bummed can see the 'light.' This Lucius is easier to be loved, isn't him? And please forgive any errors.


	11. Friends -Enemies - Reunions

**Disclaimer: JKR owns HP world**

I haven't gone missing, just really busy. Thanks for your reviews; I am grateful for them and for the interest in the story.

The story has one or two more chapters, maximum. I think the tragedies are mostly over, now we are we are up and climbing. The next chapter is more than a filler, it is important for the last two.

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**At the Graveyard**- New** Friends and Old Enemies**

At the graveyard, the old caretaker was still baffled at the events he had witnessed by the grave earlier that day, and decided a second look was needed. During his inspection, a piece of something shinny which glowed like a diamond caught his eye; he bent to pick it up, only to find out that it was only a tiny mushy piece of something.

Nevertheless, he wanted look at it closely, and as he was lifting it, his hands lost all the wrinkles, but that was not all. His arms had been broken during torture by Death Eaters during the first war, and he was never able to paint again, thereby losing his wealthy living painting porcelains for the well to do; and to his amazement, he could feel the damage healing, he closed and opened his hands, and extended his arms, and he was pain free.

He was excited and knew the remedy was in what he had found, but when he looked at his hand, there was nothing left; it was all gone. He desperately wanted to find whatever it was, and started to dig with great zeal, which soon evaporated, and suddenly, he felt very tired. When he woke up, the effect had lasted, but he woke up in his bed.

He felt refreshed, alert, and quite better, and he looked in the mirror, to his amazement he saw the young man he once was. He noticed that his upper extremities were unbroken and healthy again. In his pocket he found 21 Galleons, and he remembered a Dark Lord who had show him kindness. He would go and buy a warm cloak, gloves, and food.

Before the day was over, he decided to move away to a new land, to start new; something told him that it was better to keep quiet. When he packed, he found a large purse full of pure gold Galleons, more than he had ever seen before, with that and 21 Galleons he didn't question its origins, and he was gone after gathering his meager belongings.

The grave was covered the next day, and he was never able to remember anything about the day before, his last memory was of the generous Dark Lord, and he attributed it all to his magic.

In a fashionable coast town, in the continent, a young British wizard opened a small magical shop where he sold his ware, old-fashioned porcelains, and the customers could see him painting in them in the old ways, with delicate flowers, animals, fruit, children, that would move and change depending on the time of day they were used. He was an overnight sensation, and he hung a news sign outside of his shop, this time it had two real pieces of gold imbedded in it.

It was the creature, he was sleep but his radar never stopped working. During the excitement of discovering the identity of the brooding Lord, he had missed the sliver, leftover from his struggle with the nice wolf, and he felt compassion for the old caretaker allowing him to keep the gift, but also making him forget.

He moved to a new place, it was safer that way. In any case, whenever he chose others to take his gift, he knew they would never try to find it again. They were smart and understood he wouldn't be found if he didn't want to. In a hundred years, he would come out, mate and have a family, as a human, and then go to sleep again, or maybe a little sooner.

Sometimes, he stayed up for a few years, but the life over the ground was at time dangerous, and he didn't want to leave children behind. So during those times, he would leave a rich widow, and he would go his own way.

For now he would dream about the humans he had gifted, he laughed, that was the reason he had allowed the digger wolf to find him, to dream their lives. During his dreams he could play different roles, and live their life experiences, as chosen by him; it was so much easier than actually living them; nothing happened that didn't please him. Besides, he liked the brooding wizard, albeit his life had really been rough, it was okay, because he would have all he ever wanted and more.

Imagine, he chuckled, to have found one of the last Elven still in this realm, and his help wasn't free, the Dark Elven wizard was being paid for allowing him good dreams later on. They would be powerful and the best of his kind. He had struck gold, and hopefully a fast way to earn an early the entrance into the far realms.

He was made into a grounds-keeper for breaking the law, long ago. His kind, only a few, had fallen out of grace during a conflict, he had convinced his people to join in an unjust war, sister against brother, and now they all had to earn their entrance to the Eternal realms.

No matter, for now life was good, and judging by their Lord and the young witch's coupling, maybe they would have lots of children, or maybe, he would make sure of that, and by the time he awoke, he would be free in his Eternal home. He giggled in his dormant estate.

He dreamed of the trio's newfound happiness, and all of a sudden, in the midst of the dream, he saw an old love, a dangerous creature, from the olden Fae, she was angry; he chuckled, this was an extra bonus, most unexpected, indeed; one could say she had big debt to pay him.

She had told them a prophecy. True, but she was hoping it never came to past, albeit she was obliged to tell it, there were rules to everything. She had cursed the Elven Lord since the moment she met him, the vengeful chit, condemning him to failure.

This was truly a bonanza, he even had revenge as a bonus, he would investigate, time to call old friends in the far lands. Yes, at least he could send a dream; who would have thought, maybe there would be redemption for many.

**The Resurrected and the Lovers**

Severus wanted to go into the school, and they decided to walk together.

"Old man, you look two decades younger, you must use glamour before we go into Hogwarts." Severus talked to Lucius in a playful voice. "I guess this change is rather fortuitous, considering you are robing the cradle."

Severus turned towards Lucius, who was too busy helping Hermione button her cape and putting the hood, and had not bother to answer. They were behaving like dunderheads who just found out about love. At this pace, it was going to take them hours to get in the move. He smiled happily at seeing Lucius in love, it was a sight hard to believe, wonderful though.

"You should see yourself, a strapping youth." Lucius laughed finally looking in his direction. Indeed, Severus had never looked that well, of course, his skin was devoid of any pigment, porcelain white, made lighter by the contrast of his true black locks, and his thin red lips.

"Probably better than you, be glad my heart is already taken, otherwise you would be in trouble."

The three of them laughed in good fun, nevertheless Hermione turned red, remembering her mother's words, of loving him.

Both of the wizards pulled out the magic wands and casted a glamour upon their faces, in order to look as they used to. Much to Severus regret, he made his nose appear as before the root application.

He also obscured his face with a hooded robe, not wanting to call any attention, mostly, because he was anxious to get on his way. Lucius had already passed him a small piece that had stuck to his robe, he had wrapped well in his handkerchief, but they lost a tiny piece in the process. It was probably okay, the bird or rodent that would find it, would be in great health. Severus smiled at the idea.

Severus went with Lucius and Hermione, who walked close to each other holding hands. Severus chuckled once in a while. Lucius would stop, once in a while, to look at her and kiss her hand. Hermione would touch his cheek, and Severus would chuckle, rather pleased.

"Miss Granger, I mean Hermione, I know your mother told you about Helsinki. That was some day, Lucius nearly fought with your father. I know Lucius, and I could tell that he wanted to take you with him, rather to abduct you, is the proper term. We have never talked about it, but I think it is time for the two of you. If things work out, we should be in the family." His laugh was joyous, not the Severus they used to know.

They arrived at Minerva's office; at first seeing Snape, she cried and nearly fainted, she thought it was time travel, and held him and kissed him a couple of times. The office was full in minutes, and Severus made sure they understood his was a short visit, that he could only stay a short while and promised to be back soon." And please don't share with the press." At this, they all laughed.

He related a shortened, doctored version, of what taken place, starting by Hermione putting him in stasis.

"Yes, that is what happened… Today Lucius and Hermione came at the crack of dawn by the graveside. They came prepared, and snuck in the graveyard… and aided with the magic bezoar, that Lucius had recently located, and a special Muggle potion to stop the bleeding and other healing properties, they stitched the wound with a magic thread."

Severus paused to show them, they had casted a fake wound, stitched up, which he displayed to their horrified eyes, "and they gave me a needle with a potent antivenin. Miss Granger, always so efficient, had also saved a few tears from Dumbledore's phoenix which finished the action." He finished telling McGonagall and those gathered in the room.

Everyone applauded, and to their surprise, he accepted hugs from all of them. It was a festive and happy occasion. Minerva noticed Lucius and Hermione, but didn't make any comment, it was good to see the sad witch smile.

They visited for a while, and then they visited walked towards Hogsmead and Apparated to the Manor. While they waited for Draco, Severus sat down, wanting to talk to them.

"Lucius and my dearest girl, I have a short story to tell you."

Lucius tensed right away, he went back to the time of misery, when his life had gone dark. He moved Hermione onto his lap, and Severus eyebrow went up. She laid her head on his chest, and Bijoux sat at their feet. The two Kneazles left the room after an initial chase.

Hermione held his hand, and it calmed him down.

"Lucius, please hold your temper, and try not to kill me, just listen..."

**Severus Snape and Jean Granger**

**As told by Severus**

_That day in Helsinki, as I told you years after, I had read the name of the Hotel where your parents stayed. I was still mourning for Lily Potter, but Jean did something to me, something I never felt before. I believe some call it love at first sight. _

_Needless to say that I was unhappy, not once but twice I had fallen for women that were not mine. What is wrong with me, I wonder? _

_Miss Granger, don't take it bad, I hope I don't make you uncomfortable, but your mother was beautiful, she still is, and you are the picture of her. Lucius would agree with me, that men are not immune to beauty such as yours. I wasn't different. _

_That night I tossed, and I turned. Most of the night, I didn't sleep, mostly keeping an ear open for Lucius. Antonin and I were both worried. Lucius, you were not being rational, and we could tell that given another chance you would take the child away. We were afraid to ask, however, Antonin had heard stories about the Malfoy Wizards, of their loving one witch and doing whatever it took to get her. Although, you, Hermione, were but a baby, he thought it would be possible._

_Maybe you will understand why I decided to keep you away from my own pursue, I didn't want to lose my friend over something that would destroy his life, and the life of a woman I felt such strong emotions. Forgive me, my friend, I have lived to regret my decision. _

_I know, what you thought, I saw it from the other side that you wanted to take her mother for me, and the baby for you. But you see, Hermione, Jean never stopped loving your father. There was also him to consider. _

_The next day I managed to escape my friends, and saw your mother for a few minutes, and you, Hermione, you smiled when you first saw me. You were but a tiny little thing, and you recognized me, most amazing. What followed was a loud scream when you didn't find the blond snob, as your father would always call Lucius._

_It wasn't the last time I saw her. Hermione, don't be upset with her. For years all we would do was meet and talk, occasionally. I would go to her surgery when your father had days off. And when you started school, I went to her, and she fixed my teeth, with adult bands. _

_I tried to tell you Lucius, but you were so very upset, that I decided to lie some more, and keep to my own counsel. At school, I had to feign my dislike for you, Miss Granger. Which was easy at times, you were frankly a mouthy child, and kept friends with that imbecile, Weasley. Of course, your being friends with Harry, helped my dislike go further. As the years worsened with the arrival of Voldemort and my attitude got bleaker._

_It was the year when Mr. Potter sliced Draco, that I saw Jean. I had been tortured more than once by Voldemort, when I saw her. I wasn't in good shape. Your father was visiting Australia, and your mother and got very close. Don't judge her hard, we became lovers, but it didn't last. Your mother married when she was barely 18, and she was having a hart time of her own._

_She worried about you, and you stayed gone even during the holidays. We all make mistakes. She told me, she would never see me again, that she loved your father more, and for longer. She asked me to forgive her, and I lost perspective. _

_First Lily and now Jean, I was lost, then Lucius went to Azkaban, I knew what Antonin had done, the prophecy was coming into place. And, I started regretting not helping Lucius take you when he had the chance. When you were tortured at the Manor, and I confessed to your mother about Bellatrix, your mother told me she hated me, that I was coward, and she wished me dead. She also added that I was no better than the ones who had tortured me._

_Your father was never the same. When you send them to Australia, they had renewal of their affections, and your mother was pregnant, once again, and miscarriage again, I know this, I never talked to her, but I see her crying over her babies. She lost a few during her lifetime, who knows why, she just did. I keep thinking it had to do something with the day in Helsinki. _

_So you see, I saw your father getting killed, while you put me in stasis, my body was sleep, but my spirit wondered. I didn't see ghosts, but met a few others whose bodies were in comas. It was a strange time. Your father was killed coming out the surgery, by orders of Voldemort, some of followers wanted to punish the Muggle witch whom they made responsible for their master losing the war, they were also going to kill Jean, but she was sick that day and stayed home._

_And, now I need to go and get her, I will bring her back with me. Maybe we have a chance…"_.

Once that Severus finished his story, Hermione stood up and hugged him.

"My mother nearly told me her story with you. She was very upset, the same day she attended your funeral and my father's, and I cannot even imagine how she felt. I hope you can make her happy; my only concern is that you are nearly fifteen biological years younger than her. I need to give you a piece of the root." Hermione told Severus

Both Lucius and Severus looked at each other and laughed, but they didn't tell her why.

"Severus, yes, I am unhappy, but you chose the right day to confess your sins, you are forgiven, and I wish you luck." Lucius gave his friend a small hug.

Severus stood up and they did as well, they decided it was time to have tea together and they left for the tearoom, they walked together to the Floo, and before they separated he hugged them once again.

"My dear girl, I have something very important I need to tell you and Draco. But first I must make my important stop. Be well. And again, words will never be enough."

He went his way, and Lucius and Hermione went to a small tea parlor, and sat to talk and to look into each other's eyes. They laughed and mostly just sat, happy for the first time in a long time. Lucius, held her hand the entire time, and would kiss her cheek with adoration shinning on his eyes. Lookers who recognized them would look down on Hermione for fraternizing with the devil himself. They were in a world of their own and paid no attention.

**Draco**

Hermione had an appointment to meet Draco, at the Dowager house at the Manor and they went to meet him.

When they arrived Severus had just come. Draco broke out in tears at seeing his Godfather, "Godfather, you are alive, are you here from another time?" He held on to his godfather as to a life raft, he hugged him tightly, looked at his face, and hugged him again him tighter.

Hermione cried with him, she could feel his pain, and she already had a piece of the root ready for him.

Draco looked at Bijoux who were jumping up trying to call his attention, "Mimi, did you get a new dog? What happen to Bijoux," Draco asked, and Bijoux recognizing her name barked twice, it was a game between her and Draco, and she sat and offer her paw.

"Bijoux, is that you. It cannot be, you are ten, " and he raised his eyes to look at his father and saw that he was a young man he didn't recognize. Although, he had some memories of such a man long ago, his hair's color was changed. Surprised, he turned his head, and at the sight of Severus, his mouth dropped open.

"You came to visit from a time long ago, and you Mimi, you are not older than you were, you know. Is this some kind of trick?" He was pale and trembling.

"No, no, is nothing at all, here hold this," Hermione put a piece of a purple root, no longer than half a nail, and half melted upon contact.

Draco felt as if a terrible weight was being lifted, the fear and sadness that would never leave him, was gone. He felt carefree, and no longer afraid, although some sorrow remained in his heart.

"Draco, son, walk with me," Lucius invited him to walk with him. The old house elves all stood by the door, they all knew strong magic was upon them; the old Mipsy dried her tears in her apron. "My sweet boy, he is back." He stood Draco in front of a large mirror.

"My face, I am seventeen again, all those premature wrinkles are gone. And my hair, it looks like yours." He smiled for the first time since all happened. He chuckled, "do tell what was that. And I guess, you had some as well, didn't you naughty girl?" he bent and picked up the now-young-dog, whose tongue licked his face, and he danced a little waltz with her around the room.

They informed him properly about all it had happened. And he cried more tears of joy. But he was suddenly sad.

"Too bad we couldn't have done the same for our little son, our Sirius, I do wish he was here with us." A tear ran down his cheek, but soon, the sadness was gone.

Draco observed his father and Hermione, and didn't say anything, but every now and then, he would wink his eye at her and make a funny semi-lewd face, and they would both giggle. Albeit, he nearly swallowed his tongue when his father leaned and kissed her lips softly.

"Son, I guess now you have a reason for your winking." And they all laughed.

Severus called him, "Draco sit here with me, let's leave the love birds alone, we the single wizards sit here with the princess," meaning Bijoux who no longer wanted to sit but wonder around, looking for the large felines.

"But first, why are you back, did you find what you were looking for?" Hermione asked anxiously.

"No, the one I gam looking for, was taking an afternoon class, we have sometime." He told her a little sad, and pouted in an unlike Severus expression, which made Lucius raise his eyebrows, critically.

"So Draco, I am going to share good news. Mipsy and Axel should stay, they will like the story I am about to tell you." Hermione and Draco looked at each other, both nervous, feeling as if at the foot of a precipice.

Hermione stood up, "Lucius, if you don't mind I want to sit by Draco, come we can all fit together."

Lucius stood up without complaining, it marked the beginning of a new era, from now until his deathbed, nothing she wished would ever be denied, as it was with all Malfoy before him, once they found their destined, they lived for her.

Hermione held Draco's cold hand, and Severus held his beloved godson by his shoulder. He could feel their apprehension. "I am the bearer of good news, and until I confirm otherwise I am sure all is well….

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A/N OH OH, I think he truly brings good news. Any guesses, besides a couple that know what is going on. Reviews are well received. thanks much.


	12. A GOOD DAY

**HP'S WORLD BELONGS TO JKR.**

This is the other half to the Severus story, and some more. Hope you all like it. Maybe you can really see why it was all part of the story.

Special thanks to Savva for her clarity of mind; she is not only a good writer but an equally good friend. Thanks to everyone.

Hermione held Draco's cold hand, and Severus held his beloved godson by his shoulder. He could feel their apprehension. "I am the bearer of good news, and until I confirm otherwise I am sure all is well…."

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**Severus' Story**

_ Antonin made a terrible mistake, which he corrected at the most inopportune time. Once more, Lucius you will need to find forgiveness in your heart. _

_During the night at the Department of Mysteries, Dolohov cursed Hermione to bear no children. It was a dark and prejudice curse, because of your blood. When he realized what he had done, he lived in fear that Lucius would discover. Draco your father will explain more later on, about your family and an old legend, and why Antonin was upset. _

_Hermione, the day when you were caught by Fenrir and the snatchers, Antonin slipped in the dungeons, and made you whole again. I know you think he came to harm you, he didn't. He had no idea of what was about to happen, he couldn't have done it at worse time. _

_I am sorry to repeat those terrible events, but it all has relevance. Don't cry Hermione, neither you Draco, they were monsters, and they paid with their lives. _

_Now for the good news, Antonin was sent with Bellatrix and two of her minions to pick up Muctis senior. He was devastated by Bellatrix's murder of the older Muctis. When he heard what they were planning to do, he knew this was his chance to redeem his family; and to do so; he had to save your child. _

_ He was able to talk to Muctis Jr. the same day. They made a plan, Antonin with the help of old magic in his family, for maybe a thousand years or longer. It is considered dark, but today the Muggles would call it: advanced science. You know Voldemort was after much of that family's magic, but only got bits and pieces._

_Ah, I see some hopeful eyes, and they are fully justified._

_He talked to Muctis' son, again, when he was sent to get him at the dungeons, and they finalized their plans. I know you don't want to remember that terrible day, but you all must remember that Antonin stood right by your side. Bellatrix took it as his loyalty to her. _

_It wasn't easy, it took a big game of hands, and probably angry Death Eaters who kept their mouth shut, nobody was happy with was done in that room. With Muctis help, Antonin preserved your baby's fetus, and with special magic. What they disposed of was nothing but a blood cloth. I see smiles, good students, the brightest I ever had._

_Antonin hid it for seven weeks, and the maximum time the embryo would be viable was two months. Dobby helped you escape with his life, the same day, and you left him with an embryo and no womb; it didn't suppose to work like that. I know that Lucius helped orchestrate your escape but he had no way of knowing what Antonin had done._

_Antonin was being closely watched and was never able to talk to any of you. If he had been found, his life would have been forfeit, same for his family, because Voldemort would had killed them all. _

_He had to find you, but it was difficult getting to you. He hid, and as you know he wasn't in the battle, he was carrying precious cargo. He carried your baby for nearly two months. He finally figured out you were at Grinwald 12, but instead of you, he found Ginny who was running in the street, crying. I believe Mr. Potter had made his move with Narcissa. _

_He approached her. Her heart was broken over Harry, and she kept repeating that Narcissa had poisoned his brain. She swore that Cissa was evil; and not only that, but that she had seen her talking to Voldemort. Ginny, also, told Antonin that she had seen Narcissa feeding a glass of water to Harry and putting a small bottle in her pocket when she bent over Voldemort during the Final Battle. _

_ I don't know if the next is correct, but she insisted that she had seen Harry with Narcissa after the battle, having sex, and that you, Miss Granger, were there. _

_That day she ran away for the first time, I don't know the details, but in mid June, she was packed and had decided to leave this country. I saw the entire exchange, and wished that I was a real ghost and could tell you all, what I had seen, what was going on._

_Antonin explained that he needed to see you, but you had left. It was true; you left soon after your father's body was brought for his funeral. Ginny was angry with you, and didn't know much, but she thought that you had left for USA, and I think she was right._

_ He told her about your rape and the torture that followed. When she heard what had happened to you she became upset, and asked Antonin if she could carry your baby. Right there, he moved the baby into her womb. _

_ That was the reason why he disclosed your secrets, he needed a womb to grow your embryo, and he was counting on her Gryffindor valor and generosity. A great gift she has given this family, and an unforgettable act of selfless friendship. _

_ Hence the reason, what Antonin did is considered Dark Magic. Just imagine the idea of a witch stealing embryos from unsuspecting mothers, to have them as their own. Antonin could be punished for life in Azkaban for that alone._

_They left together and met with the Lestrange, who were hiding and waiting for Antonin. Fenrir helped them get to a Muggle ship that carried them to the St Petersburg. _

_She carried your baby and delivered it six months later, and he is safe. I saw him, a few months after he was born, a little Malfoy wizard, with light brown eyes, and a tuff of curly Malfoy hair. He is a beauty._

_ Ginny married Antonin's older son. He is a serious young wizard, I think around or near her age. They were very happy last I saw them. Antonin changed after the tragedy with you. He saved his family by saving your child, and I know she said it couldn't be done, but it did." _

Hermione and Draco held each other, crying tears of happiness; Lucius folded his arms around both of them. It was emotional, and the elves also cried little blue tears, and Severus dried a few as well. Draco would always say this was one of the happiest days of his life, a day of new hope, a true day of new beginnings.

After they settled again, Hermione asked, "Professor, why have they never contacted me? Or for that matter Draco?"

"Draco or Lucius weren't contacted because Ginny, didn't trust them. She demanded as part of her carrying the baby, you would be the first to know." Severus shrugged his shoulders apologetically, "I know they have sent you many owls, and you never answered. "

"We must Floo or go and see them today, take a Port Key. " Draco demanded.

"Son, I don't know where they are, I lost track of them when they moved to somewhere I have never seen before. There are several of the Death Eaters who ran after the battle, and are hiding with Antonin. They are warrants for their arrests, Kingsley has been tight with the pardons, and he is an imbecile."

"Love, you are close to the Weasleys, they surely must know where she is at." Lucius suggested.

"No, they don't talk to me, is a long story, but nobody has heard from Ginny, and I get blamed because Harry was my friend. Somehow all this is my fault. " She looked upset for a minute, and in an instant she appeared full of resolve.

"We need to go by my mother's home. I have the keys; her home is being maintained and cared for. Let's go and see what we can find." Hermione proposed. "I want to find my son. Let's go.

A Floo stop, and a short drive later, and they were at her mother's home.

Draco laughed, "When you said a house, I figured a normal house, not this, this is not quite Malfoy Manor, but it isn't small. So much for you being a regular Muggle."

The house was an old Tudor home, quite large, with a large fence, and a guard at the entrance.

"I never said, did I? I live in a flat, and this is a house. End of the story. Shall we?" She dismissed Draco, and the three wizards chuckled.

"Touchy, touchy," Draco teased her, "you must learn to get along with your future stepson."

Hermione blushed and glared at him as they left her car. He glared back at winked his eye. Lucius was watching them play, and for a minute the old jealousy came back. They had a child in common, they were younger and good humans, and Draco had liked her, maybe there was more than that; the thoughts had no time to take root, because Hermione, stretched her hand and took his. Her eyes made him feel welcomed and loved. He needed to tell her how much he loved her and give her time to express her feelings

The old housekeeper, took Bijoux away to feed her treats, she didn't ask questions, assuming the old Bijoux was dead and this was a replacement. She did eye the gentlemen with Hermione, she was used to the young lady's oddities, and had long known she was an enchantress, and these men must be like her. She had to receive the Owl mail, and that was odd enough.

"Before you leave, Mrs. Warren, I know I have been remiss, for years of picking up my mail. Where is it? Namely, the, ehem, the mail in the special drop." She meant the owl mail, but Mrs. Warren had never made a specific allusion and they were all used to refer it to as the 'special mail.'

"It is all in your desk in the main study room. There are several boxes. I must tell you, last year, when I was in holiday, there was a pipe that burst in the studio, and some of your mail was ruined. We finally had to throw it away it was all moldy. I called you to inform you, to see if you could do something about it, but you never returned the calls."

Her eyes where charged with blame, but she understood the changes in the young lady. Something awful happened to her, and now Lady Granger, was also gone, living away and coming whenever, not letting her daughter know where she was. What was going on with the family? However, she was looking rather well, she hoped it would hold. The tall blond seemed to care deeply for her. All would welcome children running these halls. Too many deaths and sorrows in the years past.

They all went into the study room, really a large library, Lucius looked around, "Hermione, could you give us a tour of the house." He was dying to see the room that he had Apparated into, years before. He would later tell her of his obsession. Funny, he didn't remember this large place.

"Sure, when we are done. " she answered absently.

A lot of the mail had suffered severe water damage, and they finally found something from Ginny, but only a few sentences were readable, the rest of the scroll had rotted away. They deduced this letter must have come over two years before, it talked how the baby, couldn't read his name, was a mix of the two parents, and how beautiful he was. And it read about her coming marriage to Sergei, and about a recent visit from Fenrir and his family. That was all.

The entire search revealed nothing else, to imagine that they would not be able to find them was eating at her newfound happiness, and Draco was feeling some of the same. She did notice that there were no messages from the last six to eight months, and wondered why. She needed to ask Mrs. Warren. Her heart filled with apprehension. She needed to keep busy not to let her imagination damage the wellness and love she was experiencing.

"How about a quick tour, and then we can get our heads together and think."

"Sure, darling, I would like to do that." Lucius answered but Severus was anxious.

He wanted to say goodbye for now, "Friends, please let me go and bring back my beloved Granger." He smirked shyly, "You two knew that she was the one I was looking for. She is not too far from here. You will all laugh, she is so near by. I'll let her tell you." He didn't wait for them to try to change his mind.

The three left behind, laughed at Severus, he was not himself.

They climbed the stairs to her room, and in their way up; the walls were covered with old portraits from women, men, and children from her family, both maternal and paternal. Lucius was fascinated with the static paintings, and chuckled at the wild curls on many of them. Now he knew where her hair came from. However, there was one portrait, which engaged his attention, more than the portrait, was the engraved name. 'Dulcet et Henri L'Argent,' was the inscription below a white wigged couple. And then he noticed more portraits with the same last name.

"Hermione, are any of these your ancestors?" He asked, his voice full of wonderment.

"Sure, my mother's father was L'Argent. They came from Normandy, an old family, there are legends about animosity with either Merlin or Morgana, and they changed from legend to legend. My mother and I are definitely from that family, we bear their resemblance." She exhaled frustrated, "I was doomed, both my parents had curly hair, my mother's is less curly, but my father was just like mine. Check the portraits going up." Draco pulled her hair, and she smacked his hand. Lucius did not miss one beat.

Lucius heart was beeping uncontrollably, it couldn't be. It would mean Hermione came from a line of magical people, probably a few Squibs in her line. He remembered how her mother had reacted when he touched Hermione, and that he had wondered if she was magical as well. The implications that she might come from that family, from the original curse, were mindboggling. The legend was true; most of the annals were real, as to the veracity of each author that was another matter.

"Do you have history books from that family?" he asked.

"Why your interest? And, yes, we have a few; probably some of my other relatives might also have more. We could go to the stead in Normandy; there is a large library at the old place. Why?" Lucius had piqued her interest.

"Yes father, why? Pray tell I know that look. Draco teased him.

"Later, we will talk later. It will also concern you." Lucius answered, and noticed Draco was irritated and smiled, he was behaving childish, competing with his own son. _Get a hold of yourself Lucius, the witch made love to you a few hours ago, just tell her you love her, and make it known_. He was behaving irrationally, what was new? Nothing was rational about the way he felt about his Hermione, nothing.

She showed them her room, and he was disappointed, this wasn't the room he had been in before.

"We only moved here when I was fifteen. This room is near my parents' room. I used to be afraid; someone came into my room, at our other home and moved all my things around. I had a ribbon that I loved, I bought it in a goblin shop.' She stopped wondering how much she should reveal.

" Well, it was supposed to attract your true love. It was the one thing taken. It must have been a Death Eater, because Mrs. Warren's daughter, who helped with the cleaning, saw a man disappear in front of her eyes. He almost sounded like you, and I hoped, for a while." She laughed, and to her surprise, he blushed.

Draco and Hermione looked at each other puzzled. Hermione waited in case Lucius had something to say, and instead he looked at his shoes, odd. Draco just nodded his head.

"Anyway, my father deemed the place unsafe and had this one renovated, we moved here, shortly after that incident." She concluded.

They decided to go back to the Manor and wait for Snape to decide the way ahead.

Later at the Manor, they met with Hermione's mother and Severus. They both appeared in, around the same age, in their late twenties. Lucius was amazed at how much Hermione and Jean resembled one another, except Jean wore her hair short and wavy, and their coloring was different.

Severus was obviously in love, and happy. They only stayed for a short while after Jean was truly happy to see her daughter well. She had been fully informed by Severus of the earlier happenings.

It turned out that she was staying in a small flat in Hogsmead, she was writing a book what she had always wanted to do, and taking 'night school' classes for those that had not attended to Hogwarts, for whichever reasons.

Lucius had been right on his assessment, Jean came from a magical family, her father had been a Squib, as for her Easter European mother, there were no records left. She had been a preteen when her family had sent her brother and her away to the their non magical relatives, and she never knew. As for Hermione's father, he was against magic since it made him uncomfortable.

It turned out that Jean had enough magic to train it, she was found to be a latent witch, not powerful but she had enough magic, and it made her happy. So many surprises in one day. She had stayed away from Hermione after her disastrous revelations of her loving two men. The death of Severus and her husband had made her unwell, but the root had healed her.

"Darling, I went almost daily to visit Severus' grave and your father's. It was rather convenient since the Country Estate just one hour from Hogwarts and the cemetery was not far away. Today, I went to visit Severus' grave, and they were talking about grave robbers, I was quiet upset, to see people covering the empty grave, when Severus made his surprise arrival.' She concluded, and they talked some more until was time to leave. They were going out to a restaurant.

"Mother, do you have any of my mail? " Hermione asked anxiously.

"Yes, Severus placed for you over that table. I recently went by the house, but Mrs. Warren wasn't there. I picked up the undamaged scrolls; I thought it best. We should be back tomorrow and you can let us know, or call me in my cell if you find something important.

They sat at dinner together and during dinnertime, Lucius told Draco his story with some omissions starting at Helsinki. Draco was star eyed, and he realized that Hermione was not for him, he had never felt such a bond, however, more than ever he felt sad for having raped her, not the pain from before but shame. The thought of forced sex, were too painful, and he t

Lucius told Draco that he had saved all the books he needed to read, and specially the one about the Elven Knight. He would ready to Hermione later one.

Then he stood up; it was time to make his move.

Draco as my witness, I want to wed Hermione, do you accept her into our family? Will you accept her as your equal, as the mistress of this home? "

Draco knew why he was asking, if Draco married, he was giving up his rights until Hermione was dead. He was fine with it. He loved Hermione beyond the physical world. They had shared pain and horror, and they had a child, he would never bring another woman, if he married it would be when his child was married and gone.

His body was fourteen years older than his son, he could wait a while, he wanted to. His son was a gift, and if he married anyone, she might not love Sirius the way he did. His son was first. Besides he wasn't sure sex would ever come easy for him, although his memories of the time were like reading a book, the sting mostly gone. He made a decision.

"Yes, I do. I accept Hermione as the Mistress of this home, of the soul of this hearth, when she bonds with the Lord of this hearth, Lucius Malfoy."

The house wove a shiny net around Hermione, around the three of them. The three of them were bonded in promise, and the love of family.

"Hermione, you don't have to marry me, and if you want I can wait for your answer, I know and have known for twenty two years that you were meant for me. I don't want to wait months, weeks, and years, do you want to marry me, and a day or two would be fine? I haven't told you yet, and I want Draco to be my witness, I love you, at first it was the bond, but through the years I fell in love with you." Hermione and Draco both dried tears as Lucius did. All the house elves stood by the door, honoring their new mistress.

Hermione didn't have to think about it twice, he was right; she had waited for him since she ever remembered. "I want to marry him today, tomorrow or the next day. As soon as we are able, I have also waited for this since that day in Helsinki. I do love you, forever I think." She said it with conviction and hoped it was true.

The house showered a shower of light, the atmosphere felt lighter, and an old witch screamed with rage, and she had really lost. Now she was sure.

After Dinner

She had brought several albums from home, and showed Draco and Lucius her adventures through the country and the continent, they had entire family albums of her chasing after blond men, "A tiny hussy," Draco noticed and they all laughed.

"The worse part was that when I would reach the men, and they were not you," she turned to Lucius," I would cry until I threw up, my poor parents." She waited for the laughs to quiet down.

"My father used to be aggravated, I hope you find the blond snob when you are older, and he is ugly and wrinkled. And I would answer, "Not a chance.""

"What did you think when you saw me at Flourish and Blots," Lucius enquired. "I am so sorry, when I saw you, I wanted you to hate me, I was afraid of the pull, you must understand it wasn't sexual, I just wanted to keep you until you were old enough."

"I hope that I don't meet my destined until she is around my age, it sounds wretched. " Draco noted.

Hermione agreed, "My father told me, he looks a lot like the snob, and he not wrinkled, but he is also a snob. Maybe he is the one, you finally met your man-doll." Hermione looked at Lucius whose eyes were down casted, it wasn't a funny memory, but she was purging the past, and changing the bad times into lighter events.

"He teased me because I was so upset at the nasty way you treated me, whereby I told him, " I have, he is nothing but a nasty wizard, I lied."" They all laughed again.

Draco called it a night, and left them alone, he took Bijoux to bed. "Come with me, they have each other, we singles stay together." And the traitor dog left with Draco.

"Princess, I have a present for you, come," he called her from the library.

Malfoy enterprises had developed a pensive which allowed the memories be projected as a movie, and it surrounded the ones seeing them with less realism but more clarity.

She saw herself as the baby, and noticed the magic sparkles when she held on to Lucius' finger. She pointed to Lucius something he probably had not seen before; the baby had first looked at him. They were looking at a pensive from Severus, " You see there, that faint glow like a thread, it is red, and goes from the baby's heart to yours."

"I'll be; that is what we all mistook for a leaf. You know that day I felt you called me, and you were the one who held on to my finger. Amazing, we had a bonding of sorts."

"Lucius, look at the witch she is casting a symbol with her hand. Wait, yes, it is the rune for conflict and suffering."

"She was mad at me since the moment she met me. I was not the easiest of individuals. However, she had an excessive personal dislike for me. I have always wondered. Maybe she had a hand on what followed. Our lives shouldn't have been this hard."

Seeing her father so young made her cry, Lucius held her close to him. And that was when she noticed that he was now just about that age. She was surprised that he was even younger than Snape, biologically. Maybe something to do with her mother.

Surprisingly Draco came back into the room. His healing had gone even further, the last premature wrinkles were all gone, and he had found out he no longer had scars. "I tried to remember some of the incident, and you know what, I can hardly remember it, it is so strange." He looked at Hermione and Lucius.

And they both had to agree. "Yes, it is like reading book," they all hugged again. Lucius had never been emotional, not like this, but the events were too profound, it was a lot to take.

Hermione knew she had been raped, and that she had been tortured but it was hazy, the fear would come back when she was pregnant again, the first months the anxiety would return. Nothing was perfect.

He told them, that he might never get married. That even though he felt better, he still remembered the forced sex, and he cried again, "If it happens, it might be a long time. I am just waiting for his son, he is my happiness and his life is what I want to share until he leaves home."

Draco stood up, smiling. "I have a proposition, Father keeps Portkeys on hand, for Malfoy Industries, I figured out we can be there in one hour. We can go and get him today. I reread the Owls and figured out the location and points to Apparate. How about that?"

Hermione's eyes lit with hope, "Lucius, could we? Please, I cannot wait one more minute."

Lucius felt that Draco had played him well. He was his son after all.

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**A/N** I hope this chapter is to your liking. For all those who thought it was hopeless. Magic is not only for fighting wars, or I would hope not, but to accomplish the impossible.


	13. The New Malfoy

Thanks again for all the kind reviews, I think this following chapter will explain more questions. Warning, this chapter contains scenes suited for more mature readers.

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**An Unplanned Journey**

Draco stood up, smiling. "I have a proposition, Father keeps Portkeys on hand, for Malfoy Industries, I figured out we can be there in one hour. We can go and get him today. How about that?"

Hermione's eyes lit with hope, "Lucius, could we? Please, I cannot wait one more minute."

Lucius was thinking of the possible outcome of coming announced. They might find some difficulties, but he didn't want to dampen their enthusiasm. He just couldn't see Ginny handing the child over to them in twenty minutes; nevertheless, didn't want to advise them of his concerns and worry them.

Their views were those of anxious parents whose hearts had suffered a great deal, and he couldn't expect them to act any other way. However, his years of experience told him that they would be disappointed with the results of their precipitous trip.

"Let's go, but I must put Glamour on, same for all of you, this is not the time for explanations, we don't know who is there. Should we pack?" He asked, hoping they would say no. Their staying over would make the situation more difficult; it would be better coming back right away.

Hermione was torn; she wanted to be with her mother as well. And she thought of just picking their son and coming right back; she wasn't thinking clearly as would later realize.

They readied, and left Bijoux in care of the house-elves. Using the Portkey and the coordinates sent by Antonin, they were there in less than one half hour. The place was near the North Sea, a beautiful rocky island, many thought mostly arid and inhabitable; which was far from the true. It was both Unplotted and magically disguised to look as an undesirable, rocky island.

They arrived to a nearby coast town, and were able to Apparate from a point given by Antonin in the last letter.

They were back at the Manor by daylight, exhausted and without their son.

They were overwrought yet not unhappy. Sirius Augustus, the second name had been given by Ginny in honor of Hermione's father.

**Their son**

Their baby was exactly as they had imagined him. The little wizard had seen uncounted pictures of both of his parents, and he ran to them.

"Mama Mimi, Daddy Dwaco, Papa Luzus," a young child, whose hair glowed in the twilight, ran towards them. Hermione and Draco, as in a dream, were frozen in place. It didn't last long, because a small tornado nearly threw them in the ground, giggling, and screaming in delight. He promptly covered them in wet, noisy kisses.

Draco and Hermione held him between them as a baby sandwich, their eyes moist with tears of joy. He had been ready to go to sleep, and he was dressed in nightclothes. He was what Ginny had written in the letters and more, he was a chatterbox, touching and kissing them. His hair a mass of silver curls, and his eyes were nearly amber, with blue color flecks dancing around the amber.

After a short while, he pushed to be put back down, and ran to Lucius. He also gave him the same treatment and proceeded to play with his hair much to all the onlookers delight. "Brush, I want to brush your hair, papa Luzus." He was getting fuzzy, scratching his eyes, tired and sleepy.

Ginny approached cautiously, her eyes also full of tears. Hermione saw that Ginny was pregnant, apparently near term. "Ginny, Ginny, thanks, thanks," She embraced her awkwardly, the distended belly between them, and they both giggled.

"Twins, in two months, I feel as big as a house." She said.

Draco, came forward, and held her hand to his chest. "I will never be able to repay you enough. My family has a debt with yours till the end of time."

They met several Death Eaters who were in hiding, and the sleepy boy lasted less than hour. He fell sleep in Draco's arms holding him as the treasure he was. Lucius had never seen Draco so happy in his entire life.

"Lucius, I noticed that your hair has changed colors. It was the same with Sirius, his hair changed earlier today. It is actually colorless, like light filaments, crystals I would say. And look at his ears, they are pointed, all of a sudden." Antonin remarked with a quizzing look.

"This is not the time to talk, my dear friend. I can only say that momentous events took place today. I am with Hermione, and Severus is back. I will tell you more later on. Thanks Antonin, I know all that you have done on our behalf. The cousins, and old friends embraced each other.

They visited a while longer, but mostly spent time with the sleepy boy. Whose body relaxed and he slept in Draco's arms; and Draco totally forgot that Hermione was the mother," Draco, I understand you are very happy, but do you mind sharing him with me, please." Hermione tapped Draco's shoulder.

He didn't say anything, but lay the toddler between them. The head on Hermione's thigh and the legs on his.

Ginny sat by them, and Draco spoke directly, without any subterfuges, "Ginny, we just found out today, it is a long story, one we will be glad to tell you in great detail some time later. You should know that we came to pick him up. I know it is short notice, and we understand nothing is packed, but we can get it all new."

Hermione heard the words, and they sounded cold and unfeeling. She put herself in Ginny's situation, and she knew they might not be doing the right thing. This belief became stronger when she saw Ginny's tears.

Ginny cried as she spoke, "I knew this day would come, and I am so glad you are here. All I am asking is for a couple of weeks, maybe one, and at the most two. We had some plans for this summer, if you would allow me to do some of the planned activities with him, I would be eternally grateful." Her face was anxious; her eyes were pleading and desperate.

Hermione felt her pain, and realized how selfish they had been. He was also Ginny's baby, however Draco was less sympathetic; and Lucius and Antonin walked away, not wanting to get involved. But Lucius heart was with Ginny, he should have told them so.

Sergei wasn't friendly at all, he had not even come to meet them, and his displeasure was obvious. The tall wizard, whose looks reminded Draco of his grandmother Malfoy, came to sit by Ginny, and held her close to him, trying to console her. He spoke to her in Russian to exclude Draco and Hermione. And he sat to look at Draco as if he was an assassin, daring him for a confrontation.

Finally, Antonin had to pull Sergei aside, and Lucius followed his example and intervened; after a while, he convinced them to come back in ten days in a car, to pick him up. They could make a fun trip out of it. Draco was unhappy, but went along with the suggestion.

"I guess, I am being a prat. It is true, I waited this long, and now that I have seen him, I guess, hmm, I can wait a little while longer. Please understand that he is my son, my little wizard. Please Sergei forgive me for being selfish, but he is my life. Your wife can have anything she wishes, I will get it for her, not matter what." He was making an effort, even if didn't sound sincere, not at all.

So after teary goodbyes, from the Malfoys and Hermione, they went back to the Manor. Ginny was smiling holding on to Sergei, who held the sleeping little wizard in his arms. Lucius had a plan to discuss with his witch and his son, later.

They didn't speak upon their return, Draco and Hermione, were sourly, sad, disappointed, and kept drying their running tears. Lucius sat with them and let them mourn. They sat in the library to have a small breakfast, and they all fell sleep in the couches. The house-elves Apparated them into their rooms, where they slept until teatime.

**The next day-**

Lucius heard Axel's voice coming from a wind tunnel. For a minute, he felt lost. He opened his eyes, saw his room, and was aware of a change around him. What had changed, his room looked large and empty, and closed his eyes, trying to wake up better. Something was missing, and with that thought fixed in his mind, a wet, warm tongue licked his face, and a, "Woof, woof," greeted him.

He opened an eye again, and saw a most wondrous vision, Hermione was sitting on the edge of his bed, staring at him, and a white dog was digging him out of his covers. With great stealth his hand came from under the blanket and grabbed the intruder, who growled playfully. Both Axel and Hermione giggled.

"Sirs, the missis wanted to sees you. You haves company, the Professor and his missis." Axel announced.

"Ah, we will be down, you can leave." And with that, Axel popped out the room.

"Come here, I need a waking up kiss." Lucius asked boldly. "How did I get into my bed?"

She crawled to him, and her lips touched his softly, her tongue barely touched his lip. At once, his arms went around her, pulling her on top of him. Bijoux protested at being moved to the side.

His kiss was more aggressive, and his hand went to her bottom, a groan escaped his lips. In seconds his hand was looking for her trousers' closure, when her hand stopped him. She swiftly rolled away from him. "No, stay, " he protested.

"Nope, my mother is here, they have been waiting for us for several hours, I told them that we would be down in a few minutes. Keep your hands to yourself, don't tempt me." She teased him.

"You play a hard game Miss Granger," and he stood up. He was fully awake, and the newness of his life made him smile happily. He was groggy from sleeping the day away, but looking forward the possibilities.

"How are you doing my darling witch?" He asked, "Dreaming of the little angel? We must talk about him, later, let me get cleaned up, and I will be down soon."

They visited with Severus and Jean, who told them they would be marrying soon. It had been over three years when Gus had died, and they wanted to be together. Severus was excited to learn about Sirius Malfoy and Jean was like Draco, she wanted to go and get him right away.

When Draco came down, both, Draco and Jean, sat to commiserate on their inability to have the son and grandchild with them, and Hermione joined their group. Lucius and Severus just smiled listening at the two Grangers and Draco bellyache.

Looking at how much of the root took to make Draco better, and how well that young her mother looked with just a little, Hermione decided Harry and Muctis Jr. should also get the treatment. Her list now had around ten names, it included the Lestrange brothers, they were hardly living, and their eyes empty from all they had gone through.

They decided to go out for dinner, and for Severus to wear a disguise. They all wore glamour to disguise their different looks. Hermione noticed that Draco was even younger than the day before; he couldn't be any older than seventeen, a new adjustment to give him time with his son. The news couldn't be better.

"Jean, so how did you discover that you had magic?" Lucius asked.

"I always suspected, and after Gus died, I decided to look further into it. I went by the old stead in Normandy, and found old records. I met a couple of old relatives, and they told me they were Squibs. They had books going back to the times of Merlin, and I hope to go one day, and read more. They knew one of Hermione's old professors, and well, I enrolled in a new program started by Headmistress McGonagall."

"Mother, why did you never say anything?" Hermione held her hand.

"Your father was not at ease around magic, he felt excluded. And I loved him very much, and wanted to make him happy." She embraced Hermione and both shed a few tears for the father and dead lover.

Severus eyes darkened, but a look from Lucius made him calm. Lucius waited a few seconds and asked.

"The relatives are the L'Argent, right?" Lucius asked again.

"Yes, that is right, although their name might have changed, some spelled it Largent during the witch hunts, I think." Jean answered.

"I think that this is a good time for an old tail, you see, this not the first time a Malfoy and a L'Argent come together, and I hope that I will be more successful." And he told them a short, modified version of the story he had read, making some important omissions.

"Wow, maybe you two have broken the curse, if such thing was ever true. And without the curse, I might be happy when I find my destined mate. How perfect. " Draco smiled, and his eyes were full of hope.

"Yes, son, I hope that is the case. Maybe that accounts for our different color hair." Lucius smiled hoping that if there had been such a curse, it was now gone.

" I have something to propose to all of you. I think that the only thing we can do, is to leave England for at least a few years. It is only fair with Sirius, his life should not be a secret, and he shouldn't be in the media's eye. His being would have to be explained and Antonin would be in bigger trouble."

Lucius looked around the table, and saw heads nodding in agreement.

"Why should Ginny live with us?" Draco asked, a bit of his former arrogance, and self-centered attitude back.

Lucius lips trembled, controlling a smile, "Draco, no need to be selfish, there is enough of the little one to go around. I didn't say with us, I said close to us. How does Malfoy Island sound to you?"

Draco's face relaxed and became luminous; he looked at his father and inquired, "Do you mean it? It has always been my dream, I am all for it. I will tell you all about later."

"Of course, Severus, as I had said, you must also come with us. There is place for all those who want to come. And I know Antonin will welcome going away."

Once they went back to the house, they bid their goodnights to Draco who took Bijoux with him.

Lucius pulled her along into his room, "I want to have the room redone before we move in there. It still reeks of Narcissa."

"And why does that bother you?" Hermione felt a pang of jealousy.

"You are my love, but she behaved badly. I no longer despise her. I think she was damaged as we all were. I was bothered by the long talks she had with the monster during those last days. After talking to Ginny, I think Cissa might have made a reprehensive agreement with Voldemort."

He looked at Hermione hoping she was not crossed with him. He decided to quit talking about his former wife; she didn't really matter to him.

"I hate talking about what happened to you here in that room. I tore the room; demolished it; nothing was left in place; and Draco helped me. I wanted to burn down the Manor, but Draco wouldn't let me. He told me it wasn't the house's fault that evil beings did vile acts in here." He held her in his arms while he talked, and her warmth soothed him.

The room was made new, redone; it has an indoor garden in the middle, with bonsai trees. It was built in memory or our little boy; I hope he doesn't destroy it when he comes, my grandchild, and your baby. He is a force to be reckoned with, and so very beautiful. I still cannot believe he is ours." He chuckled, and his face showed the wonderment he felt when talking about the miraculous child.

"Your tragedy was the only reason there were almost zero losses from any of the factions, except for a few, it was a miracle really. The bastard was able to get Severus. And I am sorry about the ones that died, but it would have been worse. Bella dying by the hand of her own husband, he hated her for what she did to Rabastan. Had he not done it, she was casting an unforgivable that went into the air, you would be dead. It was for you."

Hermione listened to the story with horror; it was the first she had heard about it; but she didn't doubt it. She looked at him, and noticed his anger.

"It is hard to understand her evil. She killed her first cousin, Sirius, who I hope to rescue from the veil, one day; it is my dream. She hurt so many, and you are right; Rabastan and Rudolph's are a sad sight. I guess I have a life debt, and I have a most suitable payment." She held his cold hand.

"I hope they will get better. Kingsley was an arse for not forgiving them. Maybe the Longbottoms can tell the story of what really happened that day; when you bring the root to them. They saw how Bellatrix Cruciatus Rabastan, I was told that she did it at least twice for resisting. They were no angels, rabid supremacists; but not guilty of much of the attributed to them."

"Yes, Bella was bad, she tried to kill her own niece, poor Nymphadora. Bella was a nasty, poisonous beast; one has to wonder what made her so twisted." She felt sympathy for the wizard who had saved her life, she remembered Rabastan spaced out when she was tortured. Their minds were already broken.

"Imagine, all the Death Eaters who changed because the horrors you suffered. Afterwards, nothing was the same, and over half of the old staunch followers wanted out. Voldemort miscalculated their reactions; they knew he was mad, when he ordered the killing of own of the own babies." Her ordeal had served a purpose, to prevent more deaths.

"Darling, did you know he wanted Avedas to kill everyone who opposed him, even the children, and only a few complied and died. At least Kingsley commuted a lot of sentences for shorter ones. It was a shock and a wake up call. They knew nobody was safe from his wrath, and they didn't want to be the next ones. It saved all Draco's friends, and the losses among students could have been worse." He noticed her sad face.

"Come here love." He extended his arms to her.

"I want to take a shower first," she whined, a little.

"I will wash you, come with me." He had a wicked smile as he coaxed her into the large bathroom.

She followed and her heart had a flutter of trepidation. He would see her, the crisscross of her scars.

When he closed the bathroom door, he turned her around and put her against the wall. He held her close to him, pressed his arousal against her, and groaned at the pressure. "Gods, I have been wanting you since yesterday morning, I thought I would die if I wasn't close to you again."

She pushed into him," Lucius this feels so good." She shuddered, " I want to kiss you," she said while turning around.

He kissed her with an immense hunger, his lips closed on her mouth, his tongue sought hers, and their tongues caressed one another; soon the kiss took a life of its own, and he couldn't have enough, his lips moved from her lips to her neck and back; their hands roamed each others bodies, "I need you, I need more." Lucius said from a place far away

With a wandless gesture their clothes came off, and she gasped. Her scars, he would see them. He stood away from her; he hadn't really seen her at the graveyard.

He traced her body with his fingers, his eyes heavy with lust, and his mouth opened, licking his lips once in a while. He traced her shoulders slowly letting his eyes follow their trace. Hermione looked at him, his body was perfection to her. He had little body hair and what he had was the same color of his hair, making his body glow.

Her eyes lowered, and she smiled wantonly, he chuckled; but did not stop tracing her body.

His fingers lingered on her chest, and he felt her withdrawn a bit. Why, he wondered, she was perfection. Desire was making his fingers clumsy, but he wanted to see her entire body, and turned her around, and once again he traced her back and the swell of her buttocks. She could hear his heavy breathing, and her body clenched in need.

He moved away from her, "Turn around again."

She did, afraid he was disgusted with all her scars.

"By Eros, you are perfect," he bent to put a nipple in his mouth, and her hand tried to reach him.

His fingers wondered down, between her thighs, opening her labia he muttered," All my life I had waited for this, you are so beautiful, and even your back so smooth and perfect, oh gods."

"You are so good, the scars all the cuts Bella inflicted she was a rabid dog." She was sorrowful, "and Dolohov nearly sliced me open as well." Lucius was angry for a minute, but let it go, it was the past.

"What scars, you don't have any." He eyed her up and down, and turned her around to look again.

Hermione looked down at her chest, and noticed the scars at her front were gone. She laughed with such mirth, "Now that you mentioned, my breasts are smaller, and the nipples are as they were before you know."

"I know you look very young, but how about me? "He asked.

"You are right; you seem to be the age in the pensive, or maybe a little older, but much younger than at the bookstore. She played with his hair, and uncovered his ears. "What is with your ears, I had seen a change earlier, you must look in the mirror. It is strange how Draco and you keep changing."

The top of his ears were showing, and he saw his ears were narrower yet longer and pointer, not all together human. His hair had changed further, now it was quite different; it shone like liquid silver yet very light. His face glowed, he used to be a beautiful wizard but he had acquired a special glow.

"What is this, explain—" She asked, when he had talked about the old curse he had omitted about the knight being half Elven. He had told them that he was powerful wizard. It had been a modified story because he needed to do more research.

"Later, we talk later," he said biting her neck.

She reached her hand behind, "Wait," and before he could protest, she went on her knees, and he puzzled.

"Oh, Gods, Eros," he shuddered, when her tongue went around his arousal, and her tongue opened gently the slit and licked inside, "Love," he leaned against the wall. Nobody had ever done that to him. That was the one thing Narcissa wouldn't do.

"Don't, don't stop," He had stopped her earlier, but not now. His hands went to her hair and to her shoulders, she looked at him with a naughty smile, and he tried to smile.

"Not stop," his voice a whisper, in the midst of shuddered breathing.

He was as large as she remembered from the day before. Her muscles clenched, she wanted him.

Her tongue went around in circles stopping a the top, and to hold him in her mouth for intervals, one hand across his length to cover the entire arousal, the length she could not accommodate, and the other searched between his thighs. He could only whimper. She cupped him and gently scratched her.

His hips thrust into her mouth as she started a stable rhythm, sucking and pulling an occasionally just licking the top, and worked with her hands, "No, mouth, only mouth, please, no, too fast."

She made a sound to tell him not to move, when he tried to push her away, and heard him," You shouldn't love."

His hips moved furiously, he could feel it he was coming, so many years waiting, "Oh god, Hermione, Hermione," he screamed. Trying to pull out her mouth, and she climaxed just from him having an orgasm, he was too beautiful, and she was lost in her love for him.

"Coming, no mouth, out," he groaned, but she held on.

And he erupted into her mouth, she let go of him but her lips and tongue and hands kept working until he screamed, "Stop no more," and his body collapsed on the bench along the wall.

She sat on his lap, straddling him, licking her lips, and to both their amazements, he was ready again, he kissed her deeply, "Your kiss tastes strange." He murmured, and both laughed, a little.

He pushed her back, "Flawless execution, now it is my turn."

He licked the water around her face and her nose.

"My knees ache," she said when se tried to straddle him.

"Turn around," he whispered.

He wanted to see her bum when he went inside her; after all, he had forever fantasized about this particular scenario.

He went on his knees and kissed her bum licking the water from her, and could see what he was doing to her and smiled. Her buttocks muscles contracted as he kissed them.

"You will need to bend. Put your hands on the bench."

He pushed his way in, little by little, his eyes fixed on her.

"Love spread wider, is very tight, and she screamed in surprising pain, and it downed on both of them."

The reconstruction job had been so thorough that her virginity was intact. They knew with her pain and blood evidence. So her womb was fine, now she could get pregnant without resorting to violence. She knew her womb had been damaged, she found out in a normal checkup, but all had been made new.

He held on to her as he came, "Sorry love, our shower needs to wait." He kissed her shoulders, his body still trembling from the release.

"As much as I hate to do this, it is your virginal blood, and I don't care what came before me. You are given intact to me. I will gather it with your first blood. I took care of that the first time; and once again I must collect it to reinforce the wards which protect the Manor."

x0x0

A/N I hope there are happy campers. I couldn't take the child away from Ginny at such a short notice. Let me know your thoughts. notic.


	14. Ends and Reunions

**Disclaimer JKR owns the HP world, the story and additional characters are mine**

**Once again thanks to all those who read and review, this is one of my favorite stories. Hopefully, I will write more of them. I am thinking of posting the first chapter of several stories and put them for a vote to work in one of them. This is the end of this tale.**

* * *

**Reunions**

The next day, once again, Lucius used glamour, but to his dismay, the ears resisted enchantment refusing to turn smaller, and all it could be done, was to disguise them.

"I am going to take care of Neville's parents, I have wished it for a long time."

"Yes, if you can forgive my friends, it is more than just. I will come with you." He held her in his arms, "I cannot bear being away from you. I hope you won't mind, but I waited for years to be with you, and I am afraid to let you out of my sight." Lucius rested his chin on her head, "I still think this is a dream and if you are not with me, I will wake up."

Hermione looked at him, "I feel the same, the same." She answered leaning unto him.

Hermione went to St Mungo's and Lucius waited for her. "I came to see the Longbottoms," she explained to the healer in charge of the ward. It was not unusual, once in a while she made the rounds.

They were in a room of their own, and as usual, neither one of them acknowledged her presence. When she was sure that they were alone, she put a nail-size sliver of the root on their foreheads. She said goodbye as soon as she administered the root, and Apparated with Lucius out the place.

Later, she heard from Neville. He had been at home, eating lunch, when someone had activated the Floo. Imagined the surprise when he found his parents, no worse for wear, and they even appeared a decade younger from when he last had seen them.

Nobody was really sure what happened, "We saw a curly hair witch leaving the room when we came about. Her name was Miss Granger, we were told. A Hogwarts Gryffindor student who studied with you."

Healers and others came looking for Hermione, who told them she wasn't responsible for their healing, and acted surprised. When Neville came to see her, "I had a small piece of a plant given to me by a Native American. I won't be able to obtain anymore, so please don't tell anyone. It worked specifically for torture victims; and I though of your parents."

Two weeks later the Malfoys and Hermione left to pick up their son. Before the visit was over, Lucius invited all those who wanted to come away with them to the island, but before they left, Hermione wanted to do something. She wanted to do something for those who had helped her, and the Lestrange brothers were brought into the room.

Hermione held her finger to their forehead, "What have you done, "Rabastan smiled, his eyes now focused and the stress and pain gone out of them; the same happened to Rodolphus after Hermione touched his forehead, and before they left, she told them they had found something but it was mostly gone.

The root did not have the same effect on all, and the amount administered would repair as much as it was able. By now, Hermione and Lucius understood that they needed to limit the usage because before long, it would be all gone. Thus, the Lestrange brothers were some years younger, but only a few, and not as many as the Malfoys; it seemed as if the youth was a gift to Draco and Lucius; however, unknown to them, it was a reaction of their Elven blood.

A discovery was made, albeit the size of the piece given to anyone, even a very small piece, the horrors, or the sting of them vanished from the receiver's mind. Because of this, Hermione later administered the root to Harry and Ron, her best friends.

Hermione held a sliver when saying goodbye to Ginny to ease her pain,  
"Hermione, Sergei and I will be traveling with you because we are all tired of hiding. I am so glad that we will near each other, and I won't be apart from Sirius. I know that he is yours; a fact that became obvious to all of us, he was upset to wake up and not finding you; we had to tell him everyday you would be back, and he was crossed the first days. Nevertheless, he is also mine."

Unknown to Ginny, after Hermione's touch, her body only recognized her current pregnancy, and she felt better than she had in a long time.

Sirius was a little boy, and surprisingly didn't cry for Ginny, or not much; and he had his small case ready to go the moment they arrived. His love for Hermione and Draco was uncanny. He wanted both them at each side, and insisted they held hands all day long. Lucius would walk next to Hermione and Bijoux just a little ahead. The group was inseparable, and everyone was amazed at the love they could see in Lucius' eyes.

"Bye Mama Gin, I loves you, and don't cry darlin, I'll see you real soon." And hugged her and kissed her, and did the same with Sergei, who tenderly held the witch he clearly loved. After his round of hugs and kisses, he ran and jumped in the car, ready to go, and having Bijoux in the car didn't hurt at all.

"I think he is Draco all over again, what a chatterbox," Lucius laughed while the active child wizard combed Lucius' hair, and stuck leaves, twigs and all he would find, to make him look fierce. Wherever they would stop, Sirius would find 'things' for his endeavor.

He had a little toy wand which Bijoux tried to get and made him upset. Bijoux loved the child and she knew he always had food, and was forever snatching from him and making him mad. However, he wanted to be by the small dog the entire trip, and by the end, they were all ready to be home; they were exhausted, but happy beyond words.

The house elves all cried when they saw the youngest Malfoy. He wanted to bunk with Draco, "Daddy, I am 'fraid to sleep alone. This is a biggest house," the little imp declared the first day. After staying in hotels for three days, he wasn't ready to sleep alone. "Sure son, I am a little afraid myself," Draco agreed with him.

"I think he needs to sleep in his own room, next to mine, I will leave the door open." Hermione prompted; ready to be a mother, taking a crash course. It only had only taken a few days to figure out that Sirius Augustus was a true Malfoy and Granger child, willful, smart, stubborn, and rather naughty; and you had to stay on your toes so he would not outsmart you.

Draco and Sirius both scowled and looked exactly alike, Lucius had to press his lips to stop a laugh, and Hermione looked at him for support; and waited He wanted to sleep with his witch and knew better, and taking a page from Bijoux he looked the other way.

Sirius shared rooms with his father until they day left a few weeks later, and Hermione let him, but disagreeing, "I don't think it is a good idea, but we will let it go," she frowned, and Lucius laughed.

"He is a Malfoy, and he will get his way, you can be sure of that," he said aloud, and afterwards whispered, "We can 'sleep' undisturbed, I am all in favor of that, how about you?"

**Wedding day**

They were to say their vows just with Draco and Sirius, whose presence was all that was needed for the auspicious event, McGonagall was let into the secret, or at least part of it, and Severus and Jane would be serving as witnesses.

"Why don't you marry my daddy, you don't love him?" Sirius blurted when Hermione was getting him ready.

She blushed and laughed, while Draco paid attention to every word, "I love him, but my love is his daddy. We are all going to be together, and that is what counts."

Sirius thought about it, "We can all sleep in the same room, in a big bed, how about that?"

Draco laughed, "Yes, mommy that seems a fine idea, but then Sirius would have to go to bed in his own room, the bed would be too crowded, what do you think?" He winked his eye to the blushing Hermione.

The idea that the bed would be too crowded, made the young wizard reassess his stand; whereby the youngest Malfoy shrugged his shoulder, and decided to be appeased, for now.

Hermione wore an old bride's gown, at the Manor, one stored in special vault. The gown belonged to a bride around the 16th Century, and of all the ones she had see, it was her favorite one. It had flowers and unicorns and reminded her of her teenage fantasies. It was made of dark crimson velvet and embroidered with pearls and gold threads.

Lucius wore traditional wedding robes, made of heavy silk and worn with an old fashioned cravat. Draco and Sirius were replicas of the older Malfoy.

The outside altar had been set for the occasion, decorated with flowers all the Manor employees stood in a semicircle, some house-elves, and the mountain gargoyle's, and a few other odd beings, who would all be traveling with them.

Hermione and Lucius stood in front of each other, "I do, so mote it be."

Lucius had just finished his vows when the skies parted. It appeared as if a curtain had opened in the middle of the clearing. In the center of the opening, as in a theater play, but as if a theater's curtains opening to a stage. It was not stage, instead, it revealed a place not of this earth. They could see large area of unknown and lush greenery and flowers, with hues in unknown colors, and buildings up in the air, just floating, and in the very center a tall man materialized and stepped out, in front of them.

He was dressed in an elegant warrior garb, in dark velvet and silver, carrying swords, a quiver and a bow, with soft leather boots tied around with leather strips. His face was that of a Malfoy but more stylized, his long hair, braided to his waist, was the same color than Lucius, Draco, and Sirius Augustus. Without hesitation, he walked towards Hermione who stood in awe.

"M'Lefeu at your feet my lady Largent. You are a lovely bloom, my sweet gentle lady." He kneeled in one knee and kissed her hand. Sirius giggled, and Bijoux growled and came to smell him.

"You know my mother's maiden name." Was her answer.

He ignored her remark and looked at her face. He examined her carefully, and a sad shadow clouded his eyes, Hermione could detect a hungry yearning troubling the him.

"You even look like the witch I betrayed, it makes me sad for what I lost through my carelessness. I must thank you my lady, because I have been forgiven, thanks to you and to your husband." His gaze turned to Lucius, who already knew who M'LFeu was, even if he was finding it hard to believe.

That day in the graveyard; I was summoned from a dark land, where I lingered. Now, I have become a Guardian, and since the curse has been lifted, I am in charge of your bonding, as it was in the old tradition."

"I am right, you are the one of the legend, so it was true," Lucius asked in awe.

"Yes, it was true, and I hope to be allowed to find her. I am sure that one day she will come to me." He added, a glint of hope shone in his eyes.

"How can that be, you were given another destined, I read this." Lucius interjected.

"The legends weren't right, my Lord. I married, but not to the one destined for me; I lost her; it was my punishment." A dark cloud crossed his nearly translucent eyes; Hermione saw the pain in them, and a tear ran down her face. She had been right, he mourned his forever love, and more tears filled her eyes.

"Don't cry my dear Lady, it was my fault. I should have been more careful. Of course, there is not denying, my life was truly broken, and I still miss her. That pain has never healed, never gone away." He was quiet for a minute, the women all shed tears for him, and all wished for him to find his lady.

Sirius, ran to his mother, "Mommy don't cry, here I'll kiss you." Hermione bent and Sirius have her a loud smooch.

"Mr. Milfy, you're naughty making my mommy cry in her special day." Sirius turned around and pull M'lFeu's tunic and made him smile. He went on his knees, and mussed Sirius curly locks, "I shall make her smile, my brave knight, if you should give me a slight show of your affection." M'lFeu smiled to Sirius.

Sirius, not one to hold a grudge, wrapped his short arms around M'lFeu's neck and kissed him loudly; making the elven knight break into a luminous grin, all sadness gone from his eyes.

"I must thank your for your precious gift, to be kissed by one of your grandchildren is something to cherish for a lifetime."

He turned around, it seemed that a weight had been lifted, he smiled once again, "Now for the bonding."

He touched a place above their hearts.

Everyone witnessed how a stream of blood left their chests, and Sirius clapped his hands. The stream met in the middle, and a small ball of light was formed. A stream of reddish light went back inside each of them, they both saw into each other's hearts, and their lives became one. A feeling of utter joy entered their hearts, and their love tied their souls for eternity.

As their hearts united, the skies opened again, And all of a sudden long processions, of long ago Malfoys, materialized from the ground, all holding hands with their destined ones, hundreds of years of Malfoy gone, now allowed their entrance in the old realm. It was a sight they would never forget.

Lucius said it was a vision. "I think this is a vision, not real, this is allegoric," but Hermione and Draco thought otherwise. And they were proven right, when Lucius recognized his father, and other relatives, and they turned around and waved their hands.

Lucius cried when he recognized his parents, uncles, and grandparents, and wished to had been able to embrace them one last time.

They all watched in awe, and Mipzy recognized at least three of the couples, and screamed their names, and they turned to smile to her.

The feeling of magic was strong all around them, and Lucius now had verification that Hermione and he, had ended their curse and now all his ancestors were allowed into the far realms; and, henceforth, the Malfoy would meet their destined without so much pain and strife.

The pageantry continued, until a dark flash and smoke clouded the vision, and near them appeared none other than a woman. She was clear fey with sharp ears, a remarkable face, only one eye and a scarred face. Before the scarring, and the sunk eye, she must have been beautiful.

The clothes she wore, brought back memories to Lucius and Severus; whose eyes met her with recognition. Yes, her clothes were rather distinctive, made out heavy wools and furs.

Draco held his son close to his chest, both were bathed by golden light, the skins of the three Malfoy shone, and they all had some sort of capes attached to their backs, which had magically manifested, as those Malfoys in the vision who now flew to the buildings in the sky. Wings, they now had wings.

The woman, who stood on the side spewing enchantments that could not be heard, was recognized. Jean had also seen the woman, she was familiar, and the Malfoys, Severus, and Jean traveled in time and space to Helsinki, surely aided by M'LFeu. The old woman stood under the door of the old shop, the old witch smiled wryly as her years shed away, she was dressed in the same garb.

_Yes, Morgana had a reason to be angry, part of her face of the obviously fey female was scarred, and she had lost the wizard she would forever want_, thought Lucius.

She had recognized Lucius and a few minutes later, a Largent descendant, Jean, and her heart was full of resentment and consumed by vengeance. For centuries she had lived in bitterness, had married a few times, but always miserable, and when she saw the possible end to her curse, she had reinforced it. She had never expected Hermione to survive. Furthermore, she had made sure that Hermione's mother could not produce more babies in case Hermione should die.

"Morgana let it go. Let them be happy, your curses cannot hurt them. You have lost, find your own peace," M'Lfeu addressed her, but she stayed where she stood and looked angry.

As the skies were closing, M'LFeu looked up, and at the edge of the strange land, a beautiful lady, rather young, with long wavy hair to her knees, dressed in diaphanous clothes that hid nothing, smiled and called him to her. "Mon amour, my love, I missed you, come to me, I love you."

He cried in joy, and turned around to say his goodbyes. For a minute, his smile made all present want him, but only for a few seconds. They were all immune to him. She was indeed a replica of Hermione, with lighter hair and a couple inches shorter. He flew to her and they kissed as he enveloped her in a cocoon of light, his wings.

Severus recognized the light, and knew his friend was the same, as his children, those were the capes hanging about them. They kissed in front of them, non-stop. M'lFeu had found his destined one.

They stopped kissing to wave their hands in a goodbye, and Morgana screamed in anger. "Damn you, I will find a way to destroy your family, just wait and see."

At this, another flash and a pop, and a blond wizard appeared behind her and held her arms with his. He was thin and rather tall, and also appeared to be part fey. As he held her back, he placed a hand to her face and healed her eye, but the scars remained in place.

"Come, come my dear sister. Come to Avalon, we wait for you. Come and quit your insane revenge."

"That is Merlin," Severus whispered in awe.

They both disappeared, and it was as if nothing had happened, but they all knew that it had.

In a few weeks, the others traveling with them, were also ready. They came to the Manor in secrecy and all decided to travel the old fashioned way, by ship.

Along came the house elves, the Manor employees, and several pets. Antonin arrived with his family, his wife, a single daughter, Sergei and Ginny, and two other brothers and their wives and children. Also, joining the group were the Lestrange brothers, a couple of Lucius younger cousins, the children from Aunt Blanche, Severus, Jean, Fenrir and those left from his family; the last to join them was Healer Muctis, now healed by Hermione, with his wife and three children. They all wanted new lives.

In their way, in a coastal city and before boarding the ship, Ginny and Hermione saw a quaint shop. It stood near the boardwalk, and Lucius joined them, as it was his habit, he was deeply in love with Hermione, which was obvious to anyone who saw them.

"Good sir, the young shopkeeper was solicitous, "Did you know that I named my shop in the honor of, I think, your father? The shop's name was "The 21 Galleons." The number 21 was made with real Galleons that shone under the bright sun.

"Ah, perhaps, you would like to share the story with me?" Lucius inquired, curious to hear what had happened.

"Certainly, my dear Lord, I tried my luck at grave digging, and your father changed my luck."

Recognition dawned on Lucius; and assumed that the old graveyard keeper had found a piece of the root, and decide not to disclose anything, "I will tell my father you thanked him."

The shopkeeper saw their group walking away, and something niggled at his mind, but soon thereafter, he could not remember. Underground, the groundskeeper chuckled in his sleep.

Epilogue

Draco played with Uncle Severus oldest daughter; she was one of the twins, one girl and a boy. The girl had dark hair not quite sable, and curls like Hermione, her eyes were blue like her mother's; the nose, thanks to the lords, favored Jean's, and her skin pale as Severus.

The moment Draco held her; everyone saw the glow, this time Jean also saw it. Draco didn't hear the "Oh, oh," and the laughter which ensued, as his father before him, he was already somewhere else. He knew she was his, but didn't feel like running away with her. After all they all lived at Malfoy Island. All was well, as it should be.

Draco would often spring his wings, to the children's delight, and would take them up in the sky. Sirius Augustus could barely get above ground, which was a real blessing. He was a busy, little wizard, and quite clever, whereby, he did not need additional help to get into mischief. Since the Elven apparition, his powers had strengthened; one of his gifts was to appear and disappear as a Cheshire cat, not the best of traits in a little boy.  
Lucius loved flying; albeit Hermione was still afraid of heights, she would let Draco or Lucius take her up much to her young son's delight.

Sirius adored his mommy, and was forever catching up with her; he would not leave her alone, "I am your bestest little wizard, a good boy, right mommy?" He was later a god big brother, a naughty one at that; whose ideas of being good, were to instruct the younger ones, Malfoys and Dolohovs, how to get into trouble. He was growing up beloved by all.

Future pictures showed Elly, always holding Draco's hand and Sirius holding the other. People would ask them, the three of them, whenever they went to the continent, if they were his brother and sister, the answer would always raise eyebrows, "No, they are my son and my future bride," and would wink an eye.

One day, they were drinking lemonade because the day was very warm. Everyone who had originally traveled stayed in the island.

The Lestrange had submitted a plea for pardon, hoping that the Longbottoms' statement would exonerate them; and had also paid bribes to have their sentences commuted; alas, Kingsley, a hard ass, refused to commute their sentences, and the Lestrange decided to stay gone.

Hermione was angry with Kingsley. The Minister was intransigent, not even after being offered evidence of their brainwashing, and he fully knew much they had helped during the last battle; even though, he refused to recognize it and would not pardon them.

Just as bad, was the way how Kingsley dealt with all the ones who had actually turned in the final battle, the ones who had not escaped and hid, ended up at Azkaban; regardless whether or not they had saved many lives. Finally Hermione had to accept that the system was still corrupt, and that her dreams for fairness were just that, dreams.

Greyback made the island his home, and would visit England once in a while. "I want my family to leave in peace, away from the prejudice, and for once, not having to hide." He later invited Remus, Dora, and Teddy, who were undecided. Fenrir wanted them to live as normal wizards, not as an underclass.

The rest of the Weasley visited once in a while, and she made peace with Ron was taken with Dolohov's younger daughter, and he would eventually marry her.

This sunny day, Severus had thrown a party to celebrate the name of his new set of twins. Since the healing he seemed to father twins. Jean's uterus damaged after several miscarriages had healed, and, now, after six children, had decided these were their last.

Hermione and Lucius had two children, well one, and she was pregnant again. This time she carried a daughter and everyone waited for a little Hermione.

This day was the dream Hermione and Lucius had, and when they recognized it, they looked at each other with delighted surprise.

They looked around, and as in their dream at the gravesite, Snape wore a long, airy cotton shirt, same for most of the men. Draco done knee-high shorts, along with Lucius, who felt strange with them, but what his princess wanted, it was hers.

Lestrange's were with their bride, Marianna, she was Lucius second cousin Great Auntie's Blanche's grandchild; Dolohov and his wife and family were also there, and Draco sat on the ground playing with the children and dogs. They were waiting, much to Lucius upset, for Narcissa, Harry, and their son.

Narcissa never wanted her son to maybe learn what his mother had done. She had traded her life for the life of her son; her son wasn't alone, Voldemort's essence lived dormant inside of his brain. He had given her an enchantment to seduce Harry because he needed her to conceive within hours of his death; and he wanted Harry's magic for his new body.

Ginny had been right, she had seen Narcissa doing something out place; when she leaned over, she had picked up this soul in a special receptacle, and released it upon her encounter with Harry; at that moment the enchantment was set, and henceforth she was years younger, and also, gave her a young husband.

After Hermione's torture, Voldemort had come to Narcissa and proposed a deal, he instructed her what to do in the event of his death. When her son turned ten, Narcissa would have to perform a ritual to make Voldemort live again, or the curse would kill James and Harry.

She wanted to die before that date since the ritual would preserve James' body by her son would be gone, and in his place would be Voldemort.

**Five years later**.

Harry had mourned Narcissa's death; she had died a day before their arrival. He believed her seasick, and her final day, he found out she had refused all treatment for an otherwise curable tumor, which had turned fatal, and had killed her.

At the dock, Harry came down with his son, and Narcissa's dead body. James had gone into a coma like state, and Hermione in her late pregnancy had come with a sliver of the root to feed it to James.

Upon the root touching his lips, James screamed as if he was in deep pain, and a shadow rose away from him. All present, recognized Voldemort's shape. His shadow screamed, "She cheated me, the bitch, Narcissa cheated me." And he was gone.

Harry wasn't alone, people came and settled, and after a few years he married again, a shifter, one of Fenrir's daughters caught his eye.

Nothing was ever said, and at Malfoy Island life went on, even for a bulbous little creature, which had used a passage through the fabric of space. With so many beings having a piece of him, he could dream their dreams, but the ocean distance made it hard to sync.

Once he arrived there, at Malfoy Island, he found an old tree, in the middle of a great yard. He buried himself as deep as possible. However, before he did, he caught a glimpse of the small wolf responsible for eating his braid and whistled to call her attention, she came running like mad and he giggled and went into a place where she couldn't get him.

This place was nice and warm; perhaps he would allow Bijoux a tiny-teensy-weensy-bite, so he could sleep a few centuries with not so many dead people around. There wasn't a need to mate to have dreams, mating was good, maybe, but there wasn't a rush. Life was good when surrounded with so many happy thoughts. And as one last thought, maybe he would follow them to the last realm, who knows, he knew the nasty fey was gone, and had been taken to Avalon, maybe the ground-keepers were also forgiven, who knew.

He rested to live the enchanted life in the island, even if once in a while the dwellers had a bad dream or two, who didn't? His favorite couple was happy, and he had been right, they were all a randy group, and then there were all the babies, extra bonuses, along the road. Ah, there, they were kissing and celebrating the new baby along the way, life was very, very, good.

The End.

x0x

Auf Wiedersehen, It was fun, even if I made many of you all upset. :). Let me know how you all like the story.

Reviews are loved and cherished.


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